How to Close a Room to Save Heat

When done properly, closing doors and adjusting the dampers in heating ducts can prevent heating a little-used room. If you need to heat the room again to accommodate guests, for example, the process is easily reversed. To avoid freezing pipes or disrupting the balance of the heating system, do not close off rooms with thermostats in them or pipes in the walls.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Close the doors to unused rooms.

   • 2

     Place a coiled towel or draft catcher against the gap under the door.

   • 3

     Adjust the heating vent's damper to make it narrower or close it completely to reduce heat flow into the room. In general, it is unsafe to close more than 40 percent of the vents in your home. If you're unsure how many vents are safe to close, contact an air conditioning professional.