How Furniture Affects Your Home’s Airflow
If you’re like most homeowners, everything in your home — from your couch to your wall decor — was carefully chosen to create the look and feel you wanted to live in. But what if we told you that your furniture may be reducing the airflow in your home, causing you to experience discomfort and higher energy bills?
Furniture Can Block Vents
Take a look around your home and observe where your furniture is placed. Is your couch blocking a baseboard vent? Is your bed positioned too close to a return vent?
If your vents are blocked by furniture, air won’t be able to properly flow into your home or back to your HVAC unit. This lack of airflow can cause your system to run for longer periods of time and even create a pressure buildup inside your duct system.
Your Thermostat is Improperly Placed
While your thermostat itself is not furniture, if other pieces of furniture — such as a lamp or electronic device — is too close to it, it can throw off your airflow. Certain pieces of decor can give off heat and affect your thermostat reading, meaning it may not tell your HVAC system to kick on or to cycle on too often.
Furniture Prevents You from Opening Windows
It’s often a good idea to crack your windows every so often to allow fresh air into your home and to give your HVAC a break.
However, if you’re not able to get to those windows to open them because furniture is blocking you, your HVAC system is left to handle the airflow of your home all alone and the air in your living space could become stale.
For all your appliance needs, give Tri-City Heating and Cooling a call at (203) 303-5700!