With the arrival of winter and the bitter cold knocking on our doors, it is natural to wonder about the best strategies for optimizing home heating. One of the most common questions is: Is it better to leave the internal doors open or closed?
While closing doors may seem like the most logical option to retain heat, experts recommend doing exactly the opposite. Leaving interior doors open could help you save energy and equalize the temperature between rooms. Here’s why.
Why does leaving interior doors open help save energy?
Promote the circulation of hot air. Heating systems, such as radiators or stoves, tend to heat the air which then naturally moves towards the colder areas of the house. If the doors remain open, the hot air can circulate freely, avoiding heat accumulation in some rooms and the consequent overloading of the boiler or stove.
On the contrary, closing the doors blocks this circulation, creating environments with uneven temperatures. Closed rooms accumulate heat unnecessarily or, worse, cool too quickly, forcing the heating system to work harder when you reopen them.
Avoid dispersions and consumption peaks. When interior doors are closed, temperature differences between rooms are created. This phenomenon, in addition to generating uncomfortable temperature changes, can increase energy consumption. By leaving the doors open, however, the hot air is distributed evenly, reducing the need to increase the heating power.
When is it best to close internal doors?
Despite the advantages of open doors, there are some situations where keeping them closed can be a more effective choice:
To maximize energy savings and maintain a comfortable home environment, Interior doors should remain open as much as possible during the day. In this way, you will promote better heat distribution throughout the house, without putting unnecessary stress on your heating system.
