You've heard time and time again that you need to keep interior doors open when the air conditioning is on but is closing an interior door really that bad? Your house won't collapse, of course, but you could experience some side effects of having air blow into a room with a closed door. Read on to learn more.
Pressurization and Air Flow
The problem with keeping interior doors closed when the air conditioner is running is that a closed-door makes it harder for air to flow freely out of the room. That may sound completely obvious, but it means that you have air blowing into the room at a relatively high speed, but the air that is getting pushed out of the room can't leave as quickly. Air can seep out under the door, but it will do so at a much slower rate than what's coming in through the vent at the same time. The net effect is extra air pressure; your door may seem harder to open, and the cool air can leak out through small cracks in the wall and outlets, increasing pressure against the walls.
Vacant Rooms
Rooms that are not occupied should have their doors open. While some people try to close vents in those rooms and keep the door closed in an effort to avoid cooling that space, that kind of backfires. Cool air can still seep out of the vents anyway (they don't close to an airtight level), only now pressure in the ducts builds up. Your best bet is to open the vents as normal and keep the door open.
Occupied Rooms and Privacy Issues
However, there is one problem with the "open every door" rule: privacy. If you're in a house with a lot of people, you may want your privacy when you're in your room. If you live in a house with a lot of little kids, you may need to keep your door closed to prevent the kids from wandering into your room.
If this sounds familiar, then there are still other things you can do. Any rooms that are not occupied, like home offices or laundry rooms, should have their doors open. Windows should be closed, and your thermostat should be set to around 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
If privacy and safety issues require you to close a bedroom door or two, then that's okay just keep watch on your utility bill and make sure you change the system filters often to reduce further pressure on the vents. To learn more, contact a company offering air conditioning services.
