From Los Angeles to San Bernardino, homeowners throughout California depend on their HVAC systems to keep them comfortable. One of the best ways to control the airflow throughout your home is with an HVAC damper system. There are many benefits to installing this system for your HVAC, such as enhanced comfort and energy efficiency.
The team at Fleetwell Air Conditioning, Heating, and Plumbing are experts when it comes to maximizing your home comfort. Find out what a damper system is, the perks of having one, and how they work.
What Is an HVAC Damper System?
What are dampers for HVAC systems? An HVAC damper is a small plate or valve that works to regulate the airflow inside your ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), and heating system. It opens or closes to different angles as it controls the flow of air throughout various rooms or zones in your home. When used properly, damper systems help maintain comfortable temperatures throughout a space and conserve energy.
In most cases, HVAC dampers are used as part of a home heating and cooling zoning system. These systems divide areas of your home into smaller zones, giving you more precise and specifically designated temperature control.
When you adjust the settings of the damper, you can restrict airflow to certain zones and increase airflow to others. This helps keep specific rooms at a comfortable temperature and prevents you from running your HVAC system for longer than it needs to, saving energy and wear and tear in the process.
Benefits of Installing a Damper System in Your HVAC
An HVAC damper system gives you more control over airflow and provides a range of other benefits, including:
- Improved comfort: A damper helps you to maintain more consistent temperatures throughout your home by allowing you to regulate airflow to specific zones. This eliminates issues like uneven heating and cooling and prevents hot and cold spots.
- Better energy efficiency: Dampers make it easy to restrict airflow to areas of the home that aren’t being used, which reduces the need to cool or heat spaces when no one is using them. Ultimately, this leads to lower energy costs and utility bills.
- Zoning: An HVAC damper system lets you create different zones in your home, so you can set various temperature settings for specific rooms based on usage and other factors. You can adjust the airflow to suit your needs and direct more air to your living room during the day and to your bedrooms at night for personalized comfort.
- Improved air quality: Dampers let you optimize air circulation to improve indoor air quality in your home.
- Easy installation: You can add an HVAC damper system to your existing unit and ductwork, so the installation process is quick and simple.
How Does Installing Dampers in HVAC Systems Work?
Here’s some helpful information about how dampers in HVAC systems work and how they’re installed.
Damper system basics
Dampers are specifically designed to open and close to give you control over airflow through specific ducts. An HVAC damper system directs air to different zones of your home. Most dampers are installed near the beginning of a duct branch close to the main air supply to maximize the effect of airflow regulation.
Modern damper systems are motorized, so they can be controlled by your thermostat, which adjusts the damper position automatically based on your desired temperature in each zone.
The damper installation process
Our damper installation process includes the following steps:
- Step one: A Fleetwell technician gains access to your ductwork by cutting an opening in the location where you want it installed.
- Step two: The technician carefully measures the duct size and marks the area for installation.
- Step three: The damper is fit into the duct opening and secured with clamps or screws to create a tight seal and prevent air leaks.
- Step four: If the damper is motorized, the technician connects the wires to the thermostat wiring per manufacturer instructions.
- Step five: After installation, the damper is tested by activating the thermostat to open and close it. Any necessary adjustments are made to test for proper operation and airflow.
Types of HVAC Dampers
Dampers come in different types that serve specific purposes. Here are the most common types of HVAC dampers to help you determine which option is best for your home:
- Butterfly flat dish: As the name implies, these dampers look like butterflies that sit on top of your ductwork. They’re easy to install and keep airflow moving in one direction based on air pressure rather than which direction the air is flowing.
- Blade dampers: A blade damper includes two blades that look like fans placed close together. When the blades meet, it stops airflow and works well for both heating and cooling.
- Inlet vane: This damper style looks like small vents that open and close to increase or decrease airflow. While they don’t control airflow directly, they do control the air pressure moving through your HVAC system.
- Louver: A louver damper moves when it detects high pressure and is typically only used for heating rather than both heating and cooling.
When Should You Consider Installing Dampers in Your HVAC System?
While a damper system isn’t required, there are some instances when you should consider getting one for your HVAC system:
- Multi-level homes: A damper directs air wherever you want it, so you can move more to the upstairs during the summer and downstairs during the winter.
- Large windows: If you have rooms with large windows, a damper helps to prevent overheating due to sunlight exposure.
- Uneven temperatures: If certain rooms in your home are too hot or cold compared to others, a damper helps support more even temperature control.
- Zoning: Installing a damper system lets you create separate temperature zones in your home using custom controls.
- Homes with high ceilings: A damper may help to prevent heat from rising to the top of a room with high ceilings.
- Improved energy efficiency: Dampers help you improve energy efficiency by preventing heating or cooling unoccupied rooms, which also saves money.
Contact Fleetwell for Your Damper Installation
If you’re interested in getting a damper system for your HVAC system, the experts at Fleetwell Air Conditioning, Heating, and Plumbing offer professional installation services to help improve your comfort. We serve many areas in California, including Agoura Hills, Los Angeles, Rialto, Simi Valley, and more. To learn more or to schedule a damper system installation with our company, contact us today!
