Many homeowners find that a certain room or floor consistently has a different temperature than the rest of the home. If your home is heated unevenly, there may be a few factors at play. Here, we’ll outline the most common issues, along with solutions to get your whole home consistently comfortable.
Issue: Blocked Vents
Solution: Clear and vacuum your vents
If one particular room is feeling off from the others in your home, your problem may really be this simple. If you have furniture in front of your air register, you’re not letting heat or cool air into that room.
Alternatively, the blockage may be internal. This is also an easy fix. Dust or other debris may build up over years in older vents or those in high-traffic areas. Take off the grate and vacuum a foot or two in. You may pick up something that’s been blocking your air. If you’re noticing a lot of debris, have your ducts fully cleaned. It will save you a lot in energy costs and poor air quality.
Issue: Ducts Need Repair
Solution: Have a technician inspect and repair any duct issues
Of course, the larger issue is if the air isn’t getting all the way to your vents. You can usually tell this may be a problem by putting your hand over your register while your unit’s fan is running. If you feel a lower air flow than other parts of the house, or none at all, this may be your problem.
You may have a larger blockage in your ducts, or there may be a leak or crack somewhere along the way to the troubled room or floor. An experienced technician will be able to help you identify any such issues, and repair them quickly.
Issue: Dirty Air Filter
Solution: Change your air filter
Your air filter keeps allergens, dust, dirt, and other debris out of your unit and out of your air. As a consequence, it picks up a lot of gunk over a few months. That gunk slows your air flow, which means rooms farther away from your unit may not be getting the full force of air they require.
Take your filter out, you’ll be able to tell if it needs to be replaced. Depending on your filter manufacturer’s recommendations, you need to be changing your filter at least once every three months.
Issue: Window and Door Leaks
Solution: Seal the room that’s heated unevenly
Sometimes, the issue isn’t even with your AC. If the room you’re having trouble with has a door or window that opens to the outdoors, you may be losing air you want.
Check your doors and windows for any cracks along the edges, and seal them up with caulk or weatherstripping. Or, ask your technician if your windows are inefficient.
Issue: Poor Circulation
Solution: Switch your fan from “auto” to “on”
Your thermostat has, at the very least, a switch that sets your fan to either “auto” or “on.” (Some modern thermostats have more options.) When the fan is always on, it circulates air around your home, even when the cooling cycle is off. This can help keep temperatures even between floors. Be aware that running your system’s fan constantly will use more energy than the “auto” setting, but it may help even out areas that are heated unevenly.
Issue: Home Structure
Solution: Zoning System
If certain rooms or floors in your home are heated unevenly, try the above fixes first. If those don’t work, your AC service technician may attribute the issue to one of these more complex causes.
Some homes are structured or oriented in a way that naturally causes them to be heated unevenly. While we don’t recommend packing up and moving just for that reason, it may just be a part of your home.
Zoning systems are a solution that requires a larger investment, but they can bring comfort back into your home. A zoning system will divide your home into sections based on its structure and distribute warm or cool air to evenly heat or cool your home. Ask your technician if this may be a good solution for you.
Issue: Wrong Furnace Size
Solution: Consider a new furnace
Of course, the cause of unevenly heated floors or rooms may come back to the source. If your unit isn’t equipped to service your whole home, some areas aren’t going to get the full comfort they should.
This may be due to poor installation way back when your furnace was installed. Alternatively, if you’ve had additions or expansions in recent years, your home may have “outgrown” its furnace, and it may be time for a new one.
If you can’t find the solution quickly on your own, your best bet is to call a contractor to take a look through your home and recommend any changes, fixes, or updates. Gator AC Repair is a top HVAC contractor in Gainesville and the surrounding areas. We’re happy to inspect your home and unit to find ways to increase your comfort, and even reduce your energy bills and environmental footprint.
