Closing Return Air Vents In Summer

Look at the nearest air vent in your room.

Closing return air vents in summer.

We mentioned that one drawback to closing vents is a problem with heat exchange. The vents provide crucial air circulation that can not. Closing them off is like holding a pillow over someones face. Homeowners typically close vents in an attempt to redirect air away from unused spaces.

On balance this idea sounds like it has some merit if that is the air that is blocked from one room or rooms because of closed vents simply skips over to a room or rooms with open vents. The popular notion has always been to shut off vents in rooms that you use infrequently. What are the benefits. These adjustments also work to reduce energy costs as well as your energy footprint.

Your furnace fan is moving cool air in the summer months. In the summer you want the cold air to remain and the hot air to be drawn out through the return registers. With this in mind crawl space encapsulation will not work without closed vents. It most likely has adjustable fins that allow you to direct the flow of air in the room and you can use the adjusting level to shut off a vent almost entirely.

If you reduce the number of exit points for the cool air your furnace fan can no longer move as much air. When airflow is reduced the air is not refreshed quickly enough for proper heat exchange to take place. In general it is usually ok to close vents in a basement. By adjusting your return registers you can optimize the airflow throughout your home to keep temperatures comfortable for you and your family.

It is on the main floor that you probably do not want to close any vents. By closing the floor registers and opening the ceiling registers you force the hot air out while keeping the cold air in the room. Hot air moves into the room at a lower rate leading to colder rooms or longer furnace on cycles. A cold air return is how your furnace and air conditioner gets the air supply to heat or cool the air in your home.

After all there s something more to be said for wasting energy and a lot of it. Keeping the foundation vents open during the summer is a no brainer if you live in a climate with warm humid days and frequent summer storms. When we close vents we are actually restricting air flow. But will closing vents in unused rooms help cool your house better.

This process includes closing off your vents and doors but it also involves installing a sump pump a vapor barrier and bringing in a dehumidifier.