Make sure to leave plenty of air space between your furniture and heating or cooling vents. Restricting air circulation will cause your system to work harder, wasting energy, and may leave a room colder than the rest of the house. Blocking an air return vent is even worse; the suction at the return tends to draw in fabrics, which can leave the system virtually gasping for air.
And don’t close down a vent entirely, thinking that then you can put furniture in front. That generates back pressure in the system, which again wastes energy. Instead, look for a control damper where the branch line comes from the main duct. You can close that off without reducing efficiency. Some systems may not have dampers, so ask your heating servicer about it. It may be possible to retrofit them if needed. (And if you're not getting your heater serviced regularly, START NOW.)
And don’t close down a vent entirely, thinking that then you can put furniture in front. That generates back pressure in the system, which again wastes energy. Instead, look for a control damper where the branch line comes from the main duct. You can close that off without reducing efficiency. Some systems may not have dampers, so ask your heating servicer about it. It may be possible to retrofit them if needed. (And if you're not getting your heater serviced regularly, START NOW.)
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