Interior doors--open or closed?

Oh Haha · 06-01-2013, 04:14 AM

Do you keep your interior doors(bedroom, bathroom, etc.) open or closed when you are not in them?

We had central air installed and I want to make the most of it.

Would it be more/less useful to keep those doors open or closed?

968rz · 968rz's Garage

I keep all the inner doors open, helps the air circulate (in my mind anyway).

74-911 · 06-01-2013, 05:03 AM

open them, you need the air flow. Depending on where your thermostat(s) are, the temp at the thermostat and temps in the rooms of your house may be quite different.

URY914 · URY914's Garage

Open.

Well except for my daughter's room. We don't want to see that train wreck.

dad911 · 06-01-2013, 05:54 AM

Do you have a central return, or individual return vents in the rooms? Open for central, individual matters less.

masraum · 06-01-2013, 06:55 AM

Open, it aids in air flow.

stomachmonkey · 06-01-2013, 06:59 AM

Where are your thermostats?

If in interior hallways when doors are closed on exterior rooms those rooms can become significantly warmer.

daepp · 06-01-2013, 08:13 AM

OT: we have always closed all of them when leaving for extended periods (air is off). Someone said it helps I'd there's a fire. Old wives tale?

id10t · 06-01-2013, 08:13 AM

Closed, but only because we have a toddler and a dog that get into *everything*

Gooch1971 · Gooch1971's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by id10t

Closed, but only because we have a toddler and a dog that get into *everything*

+1 on the dog but he's getting better. We open all doors when he is outside.

id10t · 06-01-2013, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by id10t

Closed, but only because we have a toddler and a dog that get into *everything*

Update.... apparently we also have a kitten now.

MRM · 06-01-2013, 09:57 AM

For ordinary use interior doors should be open. Depending on the house, keeping the interior doors open is either helpful or essential. You really should keep them open for air exchange unless you need to keep young animals in or out.

But at night and when you're away, closing the doors really does help if there is a fire. It won't stop a fire that totally engulfs the house, but it really protects the interior of the room to have the door closed. That's why if there is a fire and your door is closed you're supposed to put your hand on it to see if its hot. There could be an inferno on one side of the door and the other side not even touched yet.

Scott Douglas · Scott Douglas's Garage

I use the open/shut method to help regulate how the A/C cools the house. Since the inputs in the rooms are located (IMO incorrectly) close to the doors, the return in the hallway makes the hallway very cool compared to the rest of the house. By closing the doors I can regulate where the return is getting its air from a little more easily.

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

Depends on if my GF/SO has temp sensitive gnipples....

crustychief · crustychief's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRM

For ordinary use interior doors should be open. Depending on the house, keeping the interior doors open is either helpful or essential. You really should keep them open for air exchange unless you need to keep young animals in or out.

But at night and when you're away, closing the doors really does help if there is a fire. It won't stop a fire that totally engulfs the house, but it really protects the interior of the room to have the door closed. That's why if there is a fire and your door is closed you're supposed to put your hand on it to see if its hot. There could be an inferno on one side of the door and the other side not even touched yet.

This. Remember use the back of your hand to check the door.

drcoastline · 06-01-2013, 01:37 PM

open

Oh Haha · 06-01-2013, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dad911

Do you have a central return, or individual return vents in the rooms? Open for central, individual matters less.

Central return.

Ury914--that's exactly why I have kept the doors closed. If I don't see the mess, it isn't there.

Oh Haha · 06-01-2013, 01:57 PM

Thanks as always, fellas!

KevinTodd · 06-01-2013, 02:05 PM

All open with the exception of laundry room. I only close bedroom doors occasionally if I don't want a curious doggie sniffing around where he or she shouldn't be.

Zeke · 06-01-2013, 02:23 PM

A note on interior doors and central heating/AC: A typical room register (vent) will be 12 x 6, or 72 sq. in. It's probably fed by a 6" duct which is 28 Sq. in; 7" = 38.

If your doors are cut 1" above the finish floor or carpet the average 30" door yields 30 sq inches of under door flow. If you want your system to perform at all, you must see to this if you want to close doors off and still have conditioned rooms.

There are many other dynamics involved, of course.