Many long-time residents know Michigan for its frigid winters. Temperatures plummet well below freezing each night from November to March. Do certain rooms in your home provide little relief from the frigid air outdoors? Your home might have uneven heating.
How do you fix uneven heating in a house? As a skilled HVAC contractor in Holland, MI, Reliable Heating & Cooling provides expert insights below. Read on for answers to this and other questions about uneven heating.
Confirming Uneven Heating in Your Home
How can you tell whether you have a problem with hot and cold spots throughout your home? First, you’ll notice that certain rooms don’t feel as comfortable as others. You might also pick up on the following signs:
- Certain vents release a weak airflow.
- You detect chilly drafts, especially around windows or doors.
- Your heating and air conditioning system cycles longer than 15 minutes.
- Some rooms feel more humid than others.
These occurrences often accompany an overarching issue of uneven air dispersal.
What Causes Uneven Air Circulation?
Your woes with winter comfort may stem from one or a combination of factors. Professional HVAC technicians often discover that uneven circulation originates from:
- Ineffective HVAC network settings: Among the most prominent reasons behind uneven heating is impractical user settings. You can adjust components like vents and the thermostat to improve airflow.
- Outdoor air penetration: Air frequently infiltrates buildings via windows and doors.
- Insufficient insulation: Many homeowners forget insulation’s importance. However, it plays a key role in maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures.
- Large homes: Bigger buildings need more energy to maintain their desired temperature settings.
- Poor maintenance: You won’t know about developing problems without regular HVAC maintenance. Your system will work harder to keep you comfortable when its components don’t function optimally.
- Unskilled installation: Poorly installed systems have significantly more problems than their professionally installed counterparts.
Many of these issues have simple solutions, some of which you can manage without assistance. However, some require assistance from experienced technicians for permanent resolutions.
How Do You Fix Uneven Heating in a House?
You’re tired of battling inconsistent temperatures throughout your house. After all, the guesswork of how many layers you need to wear should only concern you outdoors. How do you fix uneven heating in a house so you can relax regardless of the room? Explore some professionally recommended solutions below.
Adjust Your Air Vents
Check the air vent position in each area of your home. Experiment with the position to disperse air more effectively. You can also remove and clean your vents to ensure dust doesn’t block the openings.
Ensure no furniture, laundry piles, or other obstacles block the vents during your investigation. For example, a chair directly in front of a vent will absorb most of the heat leaving the vent. Therefore, the room will feel cooler than it should.
Switch Your Air Filters
When an air filter becomes dirty and clogged, it won’t allow sufficient air to pass throughout the system. Homeowners should change their filters every three months on average. However, sharing a home with pets or indulging in other lifestyle habits may contribute to more frequent changes.
An HVAC professional can advise you on the best MERV rating for your system and lifestyle. They will also determine the ideal frequency of changing your filters throughout the year.
Close Doors to Unused Areas
Does a furnace heat your home? If so, you can disperse more heat to frequently used areas in your home by closing the doors to less-used rooms. For example, you might have a guest bedroom you rarely enter.
Close the vent and door and block the space beneath the door with towels or rugs. More heat will travel to and stay in other areas in your house.
Seal Drafty Areas
Walk through your house and carefully inspect doorways and windows. Hold your hand near these structures to test for chilly drafts infiltrating the room. These drafts are often responsible for discomfort in such areas.
Use a quality caulk sealant to close gaps in the windows and doors. Another winter HVAC tip involves insulating window treatments like curtains and shades to prevent outdoor air from seeping through windows.
Adjust Your Thermostat
You might have a simple issue with your thermostat settings. Many people keep their thermostats set to “Auto.” This setting only activates air circulation when the temperature fluctuates away from the programmed temperature.
The “On” setting allows air to circulate consistently until the user switches it back to “Auto.” Try the “On” setting periodically to allow continuous air circulation throughout your home.
Supplemental Heating
Purchasing a space heater or installing a supplemental system in cooler areas can offer the perfect boost. This solution not only improves your overall comfort but can also make your home more energy efficient with the correct methods.
Schedule an Insulation Inspection
You should replace your attic insulation every 15 years or so. Old insulation doesn’t protect your comfort effectively. Book an appointment with an insulation specialist to determine whether you should add or replace your insulation.
Schedule a Duct Inspection
Duct networks can incur damage from cracks, punctures, or debris. These issues can prevent air from staying within the network or inhibit efficient airflow. A qualified HVAC contractor can determine whether you need a duct upgrade.
Install a Zoning System
Zoning systems can vastly improve your seasonal experiences. Explore zoning installation if the above solutions don’t work. You’ll have more control over a larger portion of your home.
Don’t Forget To Schedule Professional Maintenance Services
Finally, regular maintenance from a professional technician can significantly curb most of your HVAC woes. Maintenance services keep your HVAC’s performance predictable and controllable. You should schedule maintenance once or twice yearly to reap the benefits.
Book Heating Maintenance and Repair Services With Reliable Heating & Cooling
At Reliable Heating & Cooling, we make HVAC maintenance simple, accessible, and affordable. Join our maintenance plan to get the most out of your system year-round.
How do you fix uneven heating in a house? Book Reliable Heating & Cooling’s heating maintenance experts online today.
