When you think of good design, you might picture designer clothing, beautiful furniture, or slick advertising. But some remarkably important design is hidden out of sight right within your own home, and can help make or break your utility budget depending on how well it is done.
The ductwork that helps heat and cool your house can be a major source of energy loss. This is why, in recent years, energy-saving designs have been created to enclose your ductwork in existing conditioned space, rather than running ducts through spaces that are freezing during the winter and scorching in the summer. This careful ductwork design and installation prevents energy loss and allows your heating and cooling system to keep rooms at a comfortable temperature without expending unnecessary energy.
The experts from the U.S. Department of Energy outline ways to maximize ductwork efficiency on the Energy Star website. There, you will find a broad overview of what goes into optimal ductwork design and installation for new construction and what can be done to retrofit current ductwork to minimize energy loss.
If your energy bills are higher than you’d like them to be, or if you notice that one or more of the rooms in your house doesn’t seem to maintain a comfortable temperature, try:
- Moving furniture or objects that may be blocking airflow from registers
- Thoroughly cleaning registers to make sure dust and dirt aren’t preventing airflow
- Keeping doors to rooms open when there isn’t an immediate need for privacy, increasing airflow throughout the entire home
- Looking for problems within the room itself, such as inefficient windows or insufficient insulation
If these simple fixes don’t address your problem, you may want to talk to a professional to determine whether the air ducts and registers are sized properly for the rooms that are being heated and cooled. At Roth Heating & Cooling, Plumbing, Electrical, Drain Services, we’re happy to answer questions or talk to you about improving the efficiency of your system. Contact us any time at (503) 266-1249.
