Air Balancing – 5 Easy Ways To Avoid Hot And Cold Spots In Your House
All homeowners want to have a comfortable home. A major part of a comfy home is ensuring that the temperature is maintained at the ideal level consistently. This means that the temperature should be the same in all rooms and that there are no hot or cold spots in the house. Otherwise, you and your family will end up feeling uncomfortable.
A central HVAC system can help you achieve this. It supplies conditioned air so that you have a balanced and stable temperature throughout your home. When your system doesn’t work as it should, many homeowners try to find the cause to correct the issue. If you find that hot and cold spots haunt your home, read on to find out the possible causes. We also listed a few easy steps that can help you regulate your home temperature.
Reasons For The Hot And Cold Spots In Your Home
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There are a couple of reasons as to why there are hot and cold spots around your house. Identifying the cause of these issues is the first step in finding how you can resolve them. Listed below are some of the likely reasons for your air balance problems.
Your Home’s Structure & Design
The way your home is designed might be making it difficult for air to flow correctly. As a result, some areas are likely to have cold and hot spots. You might not have proper zoning in your home as well. Zone creation lets you better manage the temperature in your home. It is a tremendous help when you want your home to have constant and stable temperatures. This also allows you to manage zones independently so that the specific comfort needs are met.
Your HVAC Ductwork Installation
The network of ducts is responsible for distributing conditioned air throughout your home. Therefore, ductwork is vital in how well you can keep your home comfortable. If the ductwork is improperly designed or sized, then it will most likely result in hot and cold areas in your house. This problem mostly hounds older homes as the ductwork cannot accommodate the demands of newer models of HVAC systems.
Solar Heat Gain
Solar heat gain is the amount of sunlight you receive during the day. When you live in a place that receives particularly hot weather, you might suffer more from this. This is further made worse when you have windows that are older and damaged as they allow more heat and light to come on. Even if you have an HVAC system that is in excellent condition, you are still likely to experience uneven temperatures as it will have a harder time maintaining a comfortable living environment.
Blocked HVAC Air Vents Or Restricted Airflow
Even with a highly-efficient HVAC system, you can still suffer from uneven room temperatures. One possible reason is there might be something blocking the air vents or restricting proper airflow. When the smooth airflow of cool or warm air is restricted, certain areas around your house will have cold or warm pockets.
Bad Thermostat Location
Check if your thermostat is under direct sunlight. It could also be near lamps or it is installed in a drafty area. If it is, then this can be the reason why you are experiencing uneven temperatures. These factors can affect the temperature sensors in your thermostat. When it cannot read the correct temperatures, it adjusts its settings to the wrong level. Therefore, your unit cannot supply you with the conditioned air that will keep your home comfortable.
Improperly Sized HVAC Equipment
The size of your HVAC system determines its capacity to heat or cool your home based on how big or small it is. If you have an improperly sized system, then it cannot efficiently and effectively provide conditioned air to your home. You are likely to experience problems like poor indoor air quality, short cycling, uneven temperatures, and high humidity.
Air Leaks
Air leaks happen when conditioned air escapes via gaps, holes, and cracks found along the walls and ceilings of your house. This can significantly affect the temperature in your home and cause cold and hot spots. The same holds true for homes that have a leak in their ductwork. This allows the conditioned air to escape, leading to a hot or cold spot in the house.
How To Get Rid Of Hot And Cold Spots
Hot and cold pockets around your house are fixable. Not only that, but some of the solutions are easy and affordable to do. Below are a few of the most common remedies you can do:
Remove Any Blockages On Your HVAC Air Vents
Make sure that the air vents in all rooms are free from obstruction. Household plants, furniture, and other solid objects might have been placed in front of air vents. As a result, the airflow is blocked, and your HVAC system cannot distribute conditioned air properly. Relocate or remove these objects to allow the warm or cooled air to flow freely. Make sure that all vents are open as well.
Look For Air Drafts
Drafts are the cracks, holes, and gaps around your home. These allow indoor air to escape while letting outdoor air in, disrupting the overall functionality of your system. Search around your house for these drafts. Pay particular attention to the edges of your doors and windows. Seal and fix these immediately.
Check Your Insulation
If you live in an older home or you think that you have outdated insulation, contact your local HVAC technician to determine if this is what’s causing uneven temperatures in your home. Some insulation materials do not last long compared to others. This can also be another reason for the temperature fluctuations.
Use HVAC Zoning And Good Thermostats
Utilizing zoned heating and cooling can help eliminate uneven temperatures. It allows you to set the temperature in different areas according to your needs and preferences. This way, you can enjoy a comfortable and balanced living space. Get in touch with an HVAC technician to discuss your zoning options. You should also consider installing a programmable or smart thermostat. This automates temperature adjustment to ensure that your home is kept at a consistent and stable temperature throughout. For troublesome rooms, you can ask about a ductless mini-split, which is an affordable way to customize your comfort and eliminate hot/cold spots.
Keep Your HVAC Air Filters Clean
Inefficient airflow can cause your home to feel colder than what the thermostat indicates. It can also result in warm spots in a room that should be cool. The most common cause of problematic airflow is a dirty HVAC air filter. To prevent this, check your HVAC’s air filter at least once a month. Clean or change them when they are caked with dirt and debris. Clean air filters will not only improve the indoor temperature, but it will also reduce pollutants inside your home and improve your indoor air quality.
Use Window Treatments
The most inexpensive and most straightforward way to remedy cold-hot spots inside your home is to utilize window treatments. Blinds and curtains can help curtail how much sunlight gets inside your home. It helps your HVAC system as the unit doesn’t have to strain to ensure that the desired indoor temperature is maintained.
Schedule Routine HVAC Maintenance
HVAC tune-ups are something many homeowners neglect to do until their system malfunctions. Make sure that your system receives maintenance checks at least once a year. This way, any potential problems are caught early on and fixed immediately. Call your local HVAC company today.
Conclusion
Resolving your uneven temperature problems does not need to be complicated. The issues might not be as grave as some homeowners think. In most cases, it only takes a few simple but vital steps to fix them. The right balance in indoor air, including the temperature and airflow, guarantees to maintain a comfortable living environment for you and your family.
Call Hart Home Comfort For All Of Your HVAC Requirements
When you need top-quality heating and cooling services in the area, do not hesitate to contact Hart Home Comfort. We have friendly, skilled, and NATE certified technicians who can provide you with superior HVAC repairs, maintenance, installations, and replacements. Our techs have the right tools, knowledge, and experience to service your HVAC system correctly. We guarantee that we have what it takes to help you find the best home comfort solutions for your home.
Rest assured that you are in good hands when you work with Hart Home Comfort. We offer affordable HVAC service costs in the area, and we back our work with a guarantee. Your satisfaction is our priority, and we will help you achieve energy efficiency, comfort, high indoor air quality, and more. To schedule an appointment, give us a call today for a free, no-obligation, in-home consultation.
For any questions about what Hart Home Comfort can do for you, give us a call today. Click here to contact us now or call us at (631) 667-3200 to find out more!