Nine Reasons Your Home Isn’t Heating Evenly
Are some rooms in your home colder than others? Heating unevenly occurs when some rooms feel warm while others are noticeably colder. Several culprits could be to blame for this heating problem. Here, we’ll explore what could be causing these temperature imbalances and provide tips on how you can solve the issue.
Air Vents Aren’t Open
Your problem: Your furnace circulates warm air throughout your home via vent and return registers. If these are closed or covered up, the restricted airflow creates hot and cold spots in your home.
How to fix it: Ensure all your home’s vents are open, especially if certain rooms feel like they aren’t getting enough warm air. Then, check to make sure there aren’t any decor, mats or drapes blocking airflow. If a room is too hot, make sure the vents in the other rooms are uncovered and feel like they are putting out the same amount of air. If a register is open but not a lot of air is coming out, there may be a problem with a damper or the duct isn’t routing the air to the right place.
Your HVAC Air Filter Is Clogged
Your problem: Your furnace air filter collects and removes dust, pollen and other airborne particles to provide clean and healthy air in your home. But a dirty filter filled with these particles can significantly reduce airflow, making your furnace work harder and leading to uneven heating. If warm air can’t get through easily, rooms farther from the system will be colder.
How to fix it: Inspect and swap out the furnace’s air filter every 30-90 days, especially in the winter when your home’s heating system runs overtime.
Your Home Needs More Insulation
Your problem: Inadequate home insulation lets warm air seep out of your home, especially in rooms nearest to outside walls or your home’s attic. This makes certain rooms challenging to heat, even when the rest of the home is nice and comfortable.
How to fix it: Update your attic insulation to stop heat from leaving your home. If the material currently insulating your home is in good shape, you may be able to simply add more on top of it.
Cold Air Is Getting in Through Doors and Windows
Your problem: Single-pane windows and old, drafty doors are often to blame for letting cold air inside, disrupting the indoor temperature. This problem is most common in older homes, which commonly have windows and doors that don’t fit as snug as they should.
How to fix it: Avoid drafts in and around doors and windows with weatherstripping or caulk. Heavy-duty curtains and thermal blinds also help prevent cold air from getting in your home. When these simple fixes aren’t enough to prevent cold spots in your home, it may be time to look into replacing your windows and exterior doors.
There’s a Leak in Your Air Ducts
Your problem: Ductwork transports heated air to your entire home. If there’s a crack, warm air can leak out before it gets to some rooms of your home.
How to fix it: Hire an HVAC technician like one of our team members at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to inspect your ductwork for breaks, which can usually be sealed with duct tape or mastic sealant. In more severe cases, you may need to replace the ducts.
You Need to Move Your Thermostat
Your problem: The thermostat manages the heating system throughout your home. If it’s in a cold or unusually sunny spot, it may give distorted readings, causing your HVAC system to run at the wrong times—and result in uneven temperatures.
How to fix it: If your thermostat is near a drafty window or energy-producing appliance, think about relocating it. An HVAC specialist from Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help you move it to a better place where it can more accurately read your home’s average temperature. For extra convenience, choose a smart thermostat, which allows for remote temperature control and customized heating schedules.
Your Home Has an Incorrect Furnace Size
Your problem: A furnace that’s too small may not heat all of your residence, making some areas colder than others. On the other end of the spectrum, a furnace that’s too big often runs frequently, causing temperature fluctuations and increased wear and tear that can shorten the lifetime of your HVAC system.
How to fix it: Have a heating and cooling Expert assess the size and capacity of the furnace in your home compared to your home’s square footage, the climate where you live, the home’s insulation levels, windows and other factors. If your furnace is too small or large, think about upgrading to the right size for better heating performance and energy efficiency.
Your Home Struggles to Heat Multiple Levels
Your problem: Heat rises, which is why the second floor of your home can be heated while the main floor is chilly.
How to fix it: Zoning your heating system allows you to control the temperature in different parts of your home using multiple thermostats and ductwork controls. This way, you can send warm air where you want.
It’s Time for Routine HVAC Maintenance
Your problem: Like any appliance, your furnace needs regular checkups to work smoothly. When you don’t provide routine care, your HVAC system may experience issues that reduce efficiency and hinder it from heating your home evenly.
How to fix it: Schedule professional maintenance for your furnace annually—ideally in the fall before the heating season begins. Regular maintenance also helps identify and fix issues before they cause potentially expensive performance issues or total breakdowns.
Schedule Furnace Services in the U.S. Today with Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing
No one likes spending time in a cold room. If one of these simple fixes doesn’t solve the issue, count on Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to get the job done right. Our ACE-certified technicians provide quick, dependable solutions to all your comfort needs backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Don’t let another cold spot get you down—call 866-397-3787 today to schedule the U.S. furnace services with the Experts at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing.
