12140 Wickchester Ln Suite #100, Houston, TX 77079

Why Closing Registers to Help Save Energy Doesn’t Work

To try and reduce heating costs during the winter and cooling costs during the summer, some people close the registers in unused rooms with the impression this makes their HVAC system work less. The strategy of closing registers’ those vents in your rooms through which heated and cooled air from your furnace and the air conditioner is pumped seems to make sense. After all, with fewer rooms to heat and cool, your equipment shouldn’t have to work as hard, right?

Unfortunately, it turns out that closing your registers to save energy and money not only causes your equipment to work harder, it can also lead to safety issues and repair bills.

In 2003, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory conducted a study to find out if closing registers in unused rooms worked. What they found may surprise you:

  • Closing registers to cut energy use actually caused homes to use more energy, as duct leaks from increased pressures in duct systems caused energy losses that outweighed energy savings from heating or cooling only a part of the homes
  • Closing too many registers (more than 60 percent) resulted in airflow resistance that severely restricted airflow through the HVAC systems and lead to safety concerns, such as furnaces that operated on the high-limit switch, and damage to systems, such as cooling systems that suffered from frozen coils
  • Closing registers farthest from the air handlers caused fewer leaks and tended to affect only the closed off branches, but closing registers nearer the air handler tended to increase duct pressures the most and cause air leaks throughout the whole system

Not surprisingly, the laboratory concluded that the register closing technique is not recommended as a viable energy-saving strategy.

Looks like it’s time to break out those wool sweaters and turn on those ceiling fans.

Sources

California Energy Commission’s Consumer Energy Center, Closing Off Vents and Rooms to Save Energy.

Residents of MA, NJ, OH, PA, MI: Did you know that thanks to deregulation, consumers can often save money on their electric bill?
Translate »

WAIT!

Here’s a chance to get 200 points every month in Spark Energy Rewards*

Points can be used on local shopping deals, dining, daily deals, travel,
and even gift cards. Terms for the rewards can be found here.
Interested?

*Certain Terms and Conditions apply. This offer is available to first-time customers only. Customers must sign up for a fixed-rate energy plan. The plan may include a monthly service fee depending on the product. Use promo code which is showing above to qualify. Rate expires at the end of the term. Canceling or changing supply service prior to the end of the fixed-rate term may subject the customer to an early termination fee based on the product details. To be eligible to receive Spark Energy rewards, customers must enroll in a fixed term plan and maintain an active Spark Energy account in good standing (no past-due balance owed) for 45 days after the beginning of service. May not be redeemed for cash. This offer is subject to change or cancellation without notice prior to customer acceptance. This offer is nontransferable and cannot be combined with any other offers. This offer applies to services areas where Spark Energy LLC is active. The offer expires on 12/31/2021. See the Terms of Service and Electricity Facts Label (applicable only for TX) at www. SparkEnergy.com for more details.
© 2021 Spark Energy LLC. All Rights Reserved.