Halloween is coming! Time to deck your home in all sorts of spooky paraphernalia, from fake cobwebs to pumpkins and more. It’s fun to go all out and turn your whole house into a spooky wonderland. But be careful. Some of those decorations can impact your HVAC efficiency. Here’s how, and what you can do to have a safe and energy efficient Halloween.
Planning Your Halloween Decorations
Particularly if you’re preparing for a Halloween party or other event in your home, you’ll probably want to put up as many decorations as possible, covering every wall. However, it’s important not to put anything over your air vents. If your vents are even partially covered, it restricts airflow, lowering your HVAC efficiency and forcing your system to work harder to heat or cool your home.
“But what if I only put very small decorations in front of the vent?” That can be even worse. If you have things like sequins, cotton cobwebs, or similarly small items near your vents, they can fall in and clog up your ductwork from the inside. They can even make their way into your HVAC unit, causing damage. So to maintain efficiency, make sure your vents are completely obstruction-free this Halloween.
Other Halloween Considerations
If you’re expecting trick-or-treaters, or any other guests, it’s important to give them enough light outside to reach your house safely. You might consider lining your walkway with solar lights. They charge all day in the sun, then at night, they’ll light people’s path to your door, without the need for plugs or batteries.
Candles are another consideration. They can be creepy and effective Halloween decorations, but not only are they a fire hazard if they tip over or catch on something, they also give off smoke, which can impact your indoor air quality. Consider using LED lights instead. In a pinch, they can look just as creepy as the real thing, but safer.
To learn about other things that affect your HVAC efficiency, contact us at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company today. We proudly serve all of Yuma’s heating and cooling needs.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 928-723-3183.
