In many homes, you will find the heater vents have louvers that can be adjusted by sliding a switch.
The main use of the louvers is direct airflow at a particular angle, but if you slide the switch all the way to the side, they can be used to close off the vent completely.
Some people think that you can save energy by closing off the vents in unused rooms, but that’s not the case — not only can this cost you more on your utility bills, it can cost you more in repairs in the long run.
So let us explain…
So if treated air isn’t escaping through the vents into one or two rooms, it should take less energy to produce the amount of treated air needed for the remaining rooms. …Right ?? Nope !!
Ducted heating and cooling systems just aren’t engineered to work that way. A ducted system is somewhat like the respiratory system in the human body — in order for it to work as it’s designed, there must be adequate airflow.
Most systems are engineered in such a way that a change in airflow can reduce the systems efficiency and put excess strain on system components. Closing vents increases the pressure in your ductwork, and that pressure increase backs all the way up to your mechanical components , forcing them to work harder.
Extra strain in put on fans, motors and other equipment, resulting in more maintenance and leading to more frequent breakdowns.
Increased duct pressure also creates another problem. Weak spots in your ductwork can turn into splits or even disconnection, allowing treated air to escape and forcing your system to work even harder again.
This all has the same effect as having a dirty return air filter — your heater or air conditioner uses more energy to produce the same level of treated air, increasing your utility bills and reducing its performance.
Zoning maybe as an option?
Modem ducted heaters above 4 Star rating efficiency has sensors in the supply & return air ducts so they can efficiently modulate both the fan and gas consumption if required.
This makes zoning a great option as the system has the capabilities to fine tune itself for optimum operation if you decide to isolate some rooms or outlets. With these type of heaters the zoning options are many and you can even find some installations where each outlet can be isolated not effecting the equipment or ducting.
For further information or to book a service call
Dynamic Heating and Cooling on 1300 30 90 30
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