High ceilings add a soaring, spacious feel that expands the enclosed indoor environment. While the standard 8-foot ceiling has been the norm for decades, increasingly, homeowners are opting for a high ceiling in at least one central area of the home.
However, a ceiling 4 feet or more above standard height may alter heating and cooling dynamics in a room. Here are some ways that high ceilings may affect HVAC performance and efficiency:
Heating
In a room with a vaulted ceiling, naturally rising heat collects much higher above floor level. Occupants of a high-ceilinged room may be more likely to feel heat-deprived in winter.
Cooling
A room with a high ceiling contains a greater volume of air that must be kept cool during summer. While rooms with standard ceilings may receive sufficient circulating cool air, a coolness deficit can occur in rooms with a high ceiling.
Strategies to resolve comfort issues in rooms with a high ceiling include:
Install a ceiling fan. A ceiling fan mounted in a room with a vaulted ceiling can be set to continuously blow air downward. In winter, the fan gently circulates heat accumulating at the ceiling back down into the living area to optimize comfort.
Run the system fan. Most central HVAC systems provide the option to run the system fan continuously, even when the furnace or air conditioner function cycles off. This continuous air circulation helps mix cool and warm air more effectively and tends to keep temperatures in rooms with a high ceiling more consistent.
Make sure your air conditioner capacity is properly sized. Air conditioner cooling performance is rated by BTU capacity. If one or more rooms in the house has a high ceiling, however, an air conditioner with insufficient BTU capacity may not produce sufficient cooling power to accommodate the substantially larger air volume in the room. Higher cooling costs and a lower comfort level may result.
For professional advice about effective, efficient cooling and heating in homes with high ceilings, contact the experts at Air Assurance.