Goffstown, NH Homeowner Asks
Opening a window when your home’s air conditioning or heat is running forces the HVAC system to work harder to heat or cool the area. The air escaping through the window throws off the balance of the room and your unit works to try to accommodate for this. A better option is to turn off the HVAC system when the windows are open, saving you money and preventing unnecessary wear and tear.
With spring upon us, a Goffstown homeowner gave into the temptation to open the windows to air out her home. At the same time, she noticed that her HVAC system was still running. Unsure whether it would be best to shut the unit off or let it keep running, she contacted Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc..
Open Windows with Running HVAC Won’t Save You Money
Many homeowners assume that when the weather is nice out it will take some of the burden off of your heating and cooling system to open the windows. However, unless you turn the system off first this can actually cause more wear and tear on the unit as it struggles to heat or cool the home to the set temperature. All of the unit’s hard work is literally going out the window.
Instead when opening the window, turn off the heating and cooling to your home beforehand. This can save you money on lost energy and ease the burden on your system.
Other Factors to Consider: Allergens and Humidity Level
When you open your home’s windows you lose the balance that your HVAC system has so carefully worked to create as far as humidity levels. Opening the windows will disturb this balance of humidity. It is also a culprit for letting allergens into the home, affecting the indoor air quality.
While we would never suggest not opening the windows, we did recommend that this Goffstown homeowner first shut off the heating and cooling to her home. This will help to prolong the life of her HVAC unit, by not forcing it to work hard to heat or cool the outdoors as well.
