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6 Ways To Balance the Air in Your Home
Are there spots around your home that feel colder or hotter than others? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Temperature imbalances are common, and most times, easy to fix.
If you feel variations in temperature around your home, our team at Kern Heating & Cooling Co. has a few solutions to help you solve the problem! But first, understanding the cause of fluctuating temperatures is a key element to finding a solution.
What Causes Temperature Imbalance?
There’s no one answer for why a home’s temperature will fluctuate. In fact, just about anything can be the culprit. However, there are a few common factors that most homeowners experience that cause temperature imbalance.
Here are a few common denominators:
Poor insulation causes rooms to feel warmer or colder.
Too much sunshine in one room, resulting in increased temperature.
Not enough sunlight in a room, making it feel cooler.
The room is far from the air duct line, reducing heating and cooling efficiency.
While these aren’t the only reasons behind temperature imbalance, fixing the issue can be fairly easy in some cases.
Here’s what you can do to balance the temperature and keep your heating and cooling systems from working harder than they should.
1. Get Air Ducts Inspected and Cleaned
An important chore that a lot of homeowners skip is having their air ducts inspected for leaks and cleared of dirt and debris. When ducts have a leak, a lot of hot and cold air gets lost as it travels through.
Also, duct leaks will force your heating and cooling systems to work harder to provide enough air for your entire home. We suggest contacting your local HVAC company to inspect your ductwork for leaks and clean them so that you don’t need emergency repairs in the future.
2. Install Another Thermostat
For those who have a two-story home, we suggest installing a second thermostat for even distribution and to adjust the temperature upstairs and downstairs independently. This is a common practice for homeowners with larger homes. When you set the temperature on your thermostats, set them at a 2-degree difference.
3. Set the Fan on the Thermostat to “On”
If you have a thermostat with this setting, set it to “on” or “auto.” With these settings, the fan on the HVAC system will continuously run and replace air throughout the house. Doing this will keep the temperature steady and adjusted at all times.
4. Check and Adjust Blower Fan Speed
You may need a little help with this one, but if you’re familiar with your system, then switching the fan speed can be easy. Here are some steps to adjust the blower speed:
Disconnect the power.
Locate the blower wiring and motor.
Identify the speed wires.
Change the active speed wires.
Test the HVAC system.
5. Seal Doors and Windows
Over time, weatherstripping around doors and windows can deteriorate and let in cold or warm air. As one of the easiest fixes on this list, you can quickly seal drafts yourself. Add caulk to fill in gaps around windows and doors where the weather stripping is worn and your room should feel the same as the rest of your house in no time.