You want the air conditioner to cool your home as efficiently as possible, and you think one way to ensure this is to reduce the number of rooms it has to cool. Let’s say you don’t use the upstairs much; would it be good, then, to close off the vents to the rooms upstairs? The answer, unfortunately, is no.
Closed Air Vents Harm the AC
Your air conditioner won’t function as it should when even one or two vents are closed because it was designed to cool a specific area. What will happen is that the AC will run as if it were too big for your system and rapidly cool the home but leave warm spots and not be satisfactory.
Besides that, the air that meets the obstruction will turn back and increase the pressure inside the ductwork, which can put excessive wear and tear on the AC’s motor. You don’t want this component to wear out so soon because it’s expensive to replace.
Extremely Long Cycles
Another thing to expect if you close the vents will be extremely long cycles. A cycle should go between 10 and 15 minutes, but it can go longer if the AC struggles to reach the set point. Pressurized ducts will contribute to this struggle because they will more easily lose that cool air; it will escape through leaks and holes.
In addition, the return vents in your upstairs rooms, since they’re naturally still open, will continue to suck in air, and this will include the cool air from downstairs. This lowers the temperature downstairs and makes it impossible to reach the set point.
Contact Our BBB-Accredited Company
Many residents of Madera, CA have turned to Brian’s Heating & Cooling, Inc., for air conditioning repairs, and when their AC has reached the end of its 10-, 15-, or even 20-year lifespan, they ask us to replace it. Our team also offers AC maintenance and a full range of heating services. We’d be happy to take on your AC or heating project. We also offer indoor air quality systems, install tankless water heaters, and seal ductwork. Call today for more details.
