6 Ways to Solve Uneven Heating and Cooling in Your Home
If you have a two-story home, you may have noticed that the upstairs stays too warm in the summer and too cold in the winter. Or, your home may have one or two rooms that never seem to reach the right temperature. Whatever the case, uneven heating and cooling can be a frustrating problem. Fortunately, there are several solutions. Here are 6 ways to solve uneven heating and cooling issues in your home.
Clean or replace filters
If your filters are dirty, less air will be able to get through into the rooms in your home that need to be heated or cooled. You should clean or replace your filters every month in order to avoid having dust and dirt impact circulation. Disposable filters can be bought in bulk and swapped out for a new one every month, while reusable filters can easily be cleaned by vacuuming away any debris.
Switch the fan from “auto” to “on”
Most modern thermostats have a switch that controls the fan. This switch can typically be toggled between auto, on, and off. To solve uneven airflow in your home, you should turn the switch to the “on” position rather than the “auto” position. This keeps your unit running continuously instead of starting and stopping, which can help your home’s temperature stay consistent.
When the switch is in the “on” position, your system’s fan will stay on and circulate air even after the system’s heating or cooling cycle is complete. This helps to continually circulate the air in your home, which can even out the temperatures in every room. Additionally, this reduces the amount of energy your system uses, as the majority of energy use comes from the process of starting and stopping.
Install a programmable thermostat
A programmable thermostat allows you to set the temperature of different areas of your home individually. This is especially useful for two-story homes or larger homes where one thermostat is unable to control the temperature efficiently. Since heat rises, the second floor of a home is typically warmer than the ground floor. With a programmable thermostat, you can set the temperature of your second floor to be lower, in order to offset the impact of the summer’s rising heat. In the winter, the opposite is true–and a programmable thermostat can help concentrate your system on warming up the chilly ground floor without overheating the second floor.
A qualified HVAC professional can install and configure a programmable thermostat to work with your system. At Chas Roberts, we’ve installed more than 85% of the air conditioning systems in Arizona–meaning that you can trust your installation will be completed promptly and professionally.
Determine if your ducts are faulty
Faulty air ducts can impact the heating and cooling of your home by allowing filtered air to leak out before it reaches the room. Over time, the ducts in your home can develop cracks, holes, or tears. In addition, many homes are fitted with incorrectly sized ducts, which can cause problems such as uneven air flow.
Because air ducts are located behind walls, in the attic, or beneath the floors in your home, it can be hard to physically access them to locate any problems. If you notice any of the following signs in your home, we recommend calling a professional to have your ducts evaluated. At Chas Roberts, we inspect the ducts of a system as part of our comprehensive 26-point maintenance plan.
Excess dust
If you notice that your home is dusty no matter how much you clean, your ducts may be the cause. Cracked or poorly fitted ducts can increase the amount of dust that enters your home. Aside from being an aesthetic annoyance, excess dust can also be hazardous to people with allergies or asthma due to its potential to irritate the lungs.
High humidity
In the Phoenix area, the last thing you expect from your home is high humidity. However, faulty ducts can allow moisture from the outdoor elements into your home’s duct system. This results in your home feeling stuffy and humid. If you notice that one or more rooms in your home feels more humid than usual, it may be a sign that your ducts need to be repaired.
Unusual noises
When your HVAC system turns on or off, you may hear a banging or popping noise. These noises are completely normal–however, if the noise continues the entire time that your system is running, faulty ducts may be to blame. Undersized or poorly fitted ducts can also cause a whistling noise due to the air that escapes from the vents.
Schedule seasonal maintenance
Your HVAC system needs to be professionally inspected at least twice a year to ensure that it stays at peak performance. That way, any small problems can be caught and fixed before they develop into larger and more expensive ones. For example, a small leak in your ducts can be identified before it gets bigger and impacts the temperature of your home.
At Chas Roberts, we recommend scheduling your system’s maintenance appointments in the spring and the fall. That way, your system will be in good shape to keep your home comfortable in the summer and winter months. Our 26-point maintenance plan ensures that your system is inspected from top to bottom, to identify any potential problems and fix any issues as they arise. The thoroughness of our inspections is what separates Chas Roberts from any other HVAC company.
Replace your HVAC system
Many homes are fitted with an HVAC system that is either too big or too small for the home’s needs. This can cause many problems, including uneven home temperature. If you suspect that your home’s system isn’t the right fit, it’s time to call the professionals. At Chas Roberts, we can inspect your current system to see if it falls short of industry standards. We can also calculate the amount of energy your home uses, in order to determine the correct size for your system. If a replacement is necessary, we will work with you every step of the way to make sure you get the best possible results for your home.
Next Steps
If you’re tired of uneven heating and cooling in your home and are looking for a solution, contact Chas Roberts. After examining your current system, we’ll be happy to offer a free in-home estimate of how much you can expect to spend on a new system. After installing, repairing, and replacing HVAC systems for more than 75 years, there’s no job too big or too small for our trained professionals to handle.
