Does it cost more to cool/heat a room full of stuff vs. an empty one?

Answer 1

As a student of Thermodynamics, I would say that it costs more to heat or cool a room full of stuff, at least in the short term. Your thermostat will continue to run until the room reaches the temperature othat you set it to. The room won't reach the temperature you set it to until the air comes to thermodynamic equilibrium with the stuff that's in it. So, heat will transfer between the stuff in your room to the air until they have both reached the same temperature and thus are in thermodynamic equilibrium (the direction of the heat flow depends on whether your heating or cooling). So, basically, you're paying to heat or cool your sofa, bed, etc. That said, I could be wrong.

Answer 2

The first answer is good, but David M has a valid point as well.

If the room were full, intially it would cost more to cool it and its contents. Once the contents reached the desired temperature, then it would be cheaper to keep the room cool. Kinda like putting ice in a cooler. If the cooler has warm items in it, the ice will melt faster, until the items have cooled. Once they are cool, the ice will last a lot longer.

As far as an empty room, it would cost more. The only things helping keep the heat/cool within the room would be the walls and ceiling, which is not much when you think about it.

Answer 3

I know this one, the answer is the one full of stuff costs more to heat up or cool down, but once the desired temperature is met it costs the same to maintain the temperature. If you filled your room up with bottles of chilled water when it was cold outside then you would have to have your heater on for a long time. Same if you used hot water and it was hot outside the air con would get a work out.

Answer 4

If a room is empty, why would you want to heat/cool it anyway? I have had rooms like that in the past and I always closed the vents and kept the room closed off.

Answer 5

No, it costs less over the long run. The materials absorb and re-radiate the energy, thus requiring less cooling and heating. The same as with a full refrigerator.

Terri is correct over the short term.

Answer 6

I know that once I started buying more furniture and filling my house up, the heating costs increased but the cooling costs decreased. Dont ask me why. Thats just my personal observation.

Answer 7

Yes, anything in the room displaces the need for heat or cool.I like "quiverfu" answer. I am overweight and the neighbors often ask me over to swim in their pool when the water level is down.

Answer 8

I believe it would cost less because the more stuff you have, the more insulation there is which will regulate the temperature. That's how it works with a freezer at least. A fuller freezer is cheaper to keep cold.

Answer 9

the emty one costs more to heat or cool!
Same for your fridge fill it up its cheaper to run...

if you half fill a bath and get in the water rises by about a third! same diff.

Answer 10

i agree with the first answer