High ceilings make your home feel more spacious and more elegant, but the same grandiose design element that makes your home unique can also make it harder to heat and cool your home efficiently. Read on and learn the impact that vaulted ceilings have on your HVAC system’s overall efficiency and performance.
Taller Ceilings Equal More Effort
The more space your home needs heated or cooled, the more work your HVAC system needs to do to keep your home comfortable. The extra space a high ceiling adds also adds more space for your HVAC system to heat and cool efficiently.
High ceilings also trap rising warm air. The result is a space that collects and holds heat where it’s least needed, leaving the room below colder and more uncomfortable than expected. Undersized and oversized HVAC systems can suffer further efficiency losses when faced with vaulted ceilings.
Simply put, taller ceilings can cause your HVAC system to run less efficiently than expected. Your HVAC system will run harder and more frequently to maintain your optimal level of comfort, resulting in increased energy use and increased utility costs.
Ways to Improve HVAC Efficiency
Fortunately, there are several ways you can make up for the efficiency losses caused by high ceilings and the other architectural elements of your home:
- Right-size your HVAC system. Make sure your HVAC system is large enough to adequately heat and cool rooms with tall ceilings.
- Consider duct placement. In rooms with high ceilings, your ducts should be as close to ground level as possible.
- Make use of ceiling fans. Ceiling fans can help pull warm air back to the ground during winter and distribute cool air more efficiently during summer.
- Don’t forget about your windows. Installing energy-efficient skylights can help cut heat energy even as sunlight pours through.
Get in touch with the pros at Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning and learn how we can address your heating and cooling needs for your New Haven home.