Do Not Block Too Many Ventilation Openings for the Air Conditioner to Work Efficiently
Summer is in full swing and you are probably trying to get the most out of your air conditioner. If you want to maximize the performance of your air conditioner, do not block too many vents or obstruct the air flow in your home.
As the How-To Geek site points out, homes don’t always cool evenly. If it gets colder in one part of your home than others, you might be tempted to close some of the vents. One, maybe two is fine, but closing too much can overload your air conditioner. Not only will this decrease the cooling efficiency, but it can also cost you more money:
Closing the vents requires more power because your system works harder to overcome the increased pressure created by the closed vents, especially if you have a variable speed system fan that can automatically change speed. If you have an older system, it is likely that the fan will remain at a constant speed, which is still bad news if you cover too many vents, as the increased pressure will simply slow down the fan speed, resulting in less airflow.
Many other factors can also cause problems when blocking vents. Ducts are often leaky, which means that adding pressure to the system can force air out of the ducts themselves. If you have smart vents, they can cause problems as well, since they’re not really all that smart. Basically, if the room is too cool, try adjusting the thermostat as a whole to find a good balance for the whole house, or consider a sweater before blocking in too many vents and piling up a huge bill for no good.
How To Optimize Air Flow In Your Home To Save Money On Your Air Conditioner | How-To Geek