Windows up, Windows down

Here in the coastal Carolina area, our temperatures can change drastically from day to day. On warmer days many homeowners opt to open the windows to allow fresh air to ventilate their homes. However, as tempting as it may be, it’s best to consider how open windows affect your HVAC system. While there’s no doubt allowing fresh air into your home can be beneficial, if not done correctly, it can also wreak havoc on your home’s heating and cooling.

Opening Windows can overload your HVAC

When your HVAC was installed the contractor took several factors into consideration to determine a load calculation. These included square footage, windows, doors, insulation, and ductwork. This formula allowed the installer to determine the very best system for your property. Opening the windows can affect the HVAC load system causing unnecessary overload and forcing your system to operate at a high capacity than the unit is supposed to. This in the long run could shorten the life span of the unit.

Open Windows Can Affect Air Quality

Many of us live by busy streets, interstates, construction sites, or manufacturing facilities. When we open our windows the quality of our indoor air changes. Even fresh air contains allergens and pollen which can affect our air. So when your system is turned back on the unit is now required to filter all these air disturbs out through the filtering system. This could lead to your filters becoming clogged and resulting in potential overheating and malfunction of your HVAC system.

Outdoor Humidity Can Cause Damage

When a window is open the outdoor humidity can make its way indoors. Humidity is an open invitation for mold and mildew to develop within your home. When the unit is turned on mold and mildew can be spread throughout the home.

Waste Not Want Not

Open windows can lead to high energy bills. When the system is kept at a steady temperature the HVAC doesn’t have to perform at high levels. However, when the unit has to adapt to different temperatures and humidity levels it requires more energy. So therefore you will see the results of this work overload on your energy bill.

To keep your HVAC system running at its best, homeowners should always practice smart energy habits. In addition, they should also keep up with their system’s regular maintenance. Contact us https://www.brinsonandsons.com/contact and allow us to make sure your system is performing at its energy-saving best.