While moving around your house, have you noticed that some rooms feel warm and toasty while others feel chilly? This is a common household problem, and it can occur during any season. When your HVAC appliances and systems are healthy and performing properly, you should enjoy consistent temperatures throughout the majority of the home. If you’re experiencing noticeable hot and cold spots, though, the problem could be caused by several different underlying issues.
1. Inspect Your Vents
You likely have several air vents distributed throughout your home, each responsible for heating and cooling a different area. So, if one or more of these vents are dirty, clogged, or blocked, it could be causing hot and cold spots within the house. Visit each of your home’s vents and verify that none of them are blocked by furniture or other objects. Once you’ve confirmed that they all have room to blow air, you’ll want to open and clean each one. You’ll need a screwdriver to remove the cover panels, and a vacuum cleaner’s extension hose works wonders for sucking out all of the dust and debris.
2. Change Your Thermostat Settings
Your thermostat should have two different settings for how its fans operate during heating and cooling. Typically, the default mode will be “auto.” When it’s turned to auto, the fans will only operate during a heating or cooling cycle, and they’ll shut off once it’s finished. Auto is the more energy-efficient setting, but it can potentially lead to uneven temperatures, especially in a multi-level house.
If you switch your thermostat to “on,” the fans will continue circulating air around the home even after the cycle is complete. You’ll want to be careful with this mode as it can really rack up your monthly energy costs. But, letting the fans circulate for a little while longer can help even out the temperatures around the home.
3. Have Your Ductwork Cleaned and Inspected
Dirty or leaking air ducts are two more common causes of uneven household temperatures. When sections of your ductwork accumulate enough dust, dirt, and small debris, it can result in the airflow of your HVAC appliances becoming obstructed. Oftentimes, that will lead to specific areas of your home receiving less of the conditioned air than others.
Leaky or damaged ducts tend to be even more problematic. If large quantities of the hot or cold air being circulated are escaping through openings in the air ducts, the temperatures around your house can become uneven or unpredictable. Additionally, your HVAC systems are forced to compensate for the loss, which wastes further energy and impacts their health.
Fortunately, you can kill two birds with one stone when you schedule a professional duct cleaning. An experienced technician will not only thoroughly clean the ductwork out, but they’ll also check for any leaks or other damage. If they find anything, you can schedule the necessary repairs and avoid future discomfort or more costly repairs.
4. Seal Any Household Leaks
If any of the areas receiving insufficient airflow feature doorways or windows, the problem could be a result of significant air leaks. If large amounts of conditioned air are escaping from one room in particular, it could easily be enough to explain the uneven household temperatures. While you’re searching for the cause of the hot and cold spots, take some time to inspect each of your household windows and doors.
Not all air leaks will be easily visible. Even if you don’t see anything, slowly move your hand around the edges of the doorway or glass. Feel for any streams of air, however soft; it only takes a small leak to make a big difference. If you find any gaps, you need to seal them with caulking and weather stripping, which you can get at the local hardware store.
At Controlled Climate Services, we’re proud to offer dependable heating and cooling services to the greater Kennesaw, GA area. Additionally, we offer ductless services, indoor air quality solutions, and work involving refrigeration, humidifiers and dehumidifiers, and ventilation. With every job we do, customer satisfaction is our top priority. We know that the Georgia summers and winters can be harsh, and our skilled team will do everything possible to keep you comfortable year-round. Give us a call at Controlled Climate Services to schedule an appointment!
