Many things at home can affect your heating and cooling systems. You’ve probably already thought about your home’s square footage, types of windows, and amount of insulation. But you probably didn’t think about furniture. In today’s post, All Seasons Inc. looks at how furniture affects your HVAC system.
When planning your furniture placement, pay attention to the vents and registers in the room. Placing furniture too close to air vents can effectively block airflow, which can result in trapped warm or cool air, which damages the furniture. If you must place furniture in front of the air vents, ensure that there is a gap of at least 18 inches between them.
Sunlight streaming through the windows is generally considered a good thing. It helps make the room brighter and more pleasant, and the occupants can enjoy the health benefits of ample natural light. However, sometimes it can be too much: the room may become too bright for the eyes or solar heat may be making the room too warm. If one of your windows is letting in too much sunlight for comfort, placing furniture in its path can create shade. It can also help reduce solar heat, which can help reduce the strain on the air conditioning system.
Your furniture may be made of material that emits volatile organic compounds or VOCs through off-gassing. The material may accumulate over time affecting your home’s indoor air quality. This may lead to respiratory problems or cause allergic reactions in the house’s occupants. Letting in fresh air by opening the windows for at least 15 minutes a day can help reduce the amount of VOCs indoors. VOCs may also combine with moisture and settle on your HVAC system’s copper coils, resulting in a chemical reaction that leads to corrosion.
All Seasons Inc. provides heating and air conditioning services to customers in Tacoma, WA, and the surrounding communities. Call us at (253) 879-9144, or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.