Should Furnace Dampers Be Open or Closed During Winters in Black Canyon City, AZ?

If you’ve spent much time inspecting your furnace, you may have seen dampers on the ducts. Although not all furnaces have dampers, managing them properly improves your comfort level throughout the house. Should a furnace damper be open or closed in winter?

During winter, it’s usually best to close dampers that lead to the upper floors of the home. However, you may want to slightly open the dampers for maximum comfort. If you ever have a question about dampers, reach out to schedule our expert HVAC services in Black Canyon City, AZ.

How Furnace Dampers Work at Your Home in Black Canyon City, AZ

A furnace damper serves as a valve or door inside the ductwork. When activated, the damper blocks air from moving through certain parts of the duct. 

The dampers let you direct the climate-controlled air to certain zones in the home. You’ll make a seasonal adjustment to your home’s heating and cooling performance by opening or closing specific dampers. 

Why Using Dampers Is Helpful During Winter

Should a furnace damper be open or closed in winter for maximum heating performance? In the winter, the heated air coming from your furnace rises. As warm air rises, it may seep out of the home through the attic, especially if the insulation level is inadequate. 

Dampers help you slow down the loss of heat through the attic. Close the dampers to the upper floor of the home. 

With the furnace-heated air concentrated on the first floor of the home and lower floors, it will remain in place longer. The heated air will rise slowly, eventually providing heat to the upper floors. 

How To Know Whether Your Dampers Are Open or Closed During Winter or Summer

Should a furnace damper be open or closed in winter, and how can you tell whether it’s already open? Some dampers will have markings indicating whether they’re partially or fully open or closed. 

If your furnace’s dampers don’t have markings, you can test them. Have one person stand near the furnace, and another person stand near the vents. Turn up the thermostat to make sure the furnace is running. 

Adjust the damper to what you believe is the closed position. Have the person near the vents determine which ones are no longer blowing heat. (If nothing happens, adjust the damper the other way and test the vents again.)

As you figure out the open and closed directions of the dampers, label the proper positions on the ducts. You can also label which dampers control which rooms of the home. 

Energy Efficiency Benefits of Managing Your Furnace’s Dampers

Should a furnace damper be open or closed in winter to make your furnace more energy efficient? By using dampers to block heated air from directly going to the upper floors, you’ll lose less heat through the attic. Your furnace won’t have to work as hard, which should save money on your energy bills.

It’s not unusual to have low temperatures in the 40s from November through March in Black Canyon City, AZ. Using the dampers during these chilly times will give better temperature regulation on the lower floors. 

You’ll sleep more comfortably by blocking heated air from reaching bedrooms upstairs on cool nights. Using dampers is ideal for homes in Black Canyon City, AZ, because of the lack of extremely cold weather. However, on chillier nights, you may need to partially open the dampers to maximize your comfort level while sleeping.

What Should You Do If the Dampers Don’t Seem To Work?

If adjusting your dampers isn’t helping with comfort optimization, you might have a problem with your heating system. Some of the issues could include:

• Incorrect thermostat settings
• Blocked air vents
• Clogged air filter
• Leaky air ducts

Our heating and cooling repair professionals can inspect your system and determine what is wrong. Whether we provide services in the Phoenix metro or rural Black Canyon City, AZ, we guarantee on-time appointments and competitive pricing for repairs.