Several homeowners have found themselves in a position where at least one room in their home simply will not get to the same temperature as those in the rest of the house. If you’re noticing hot and cold spots throughout your house and you have tried everything possible to keep your whole family comfortable, there are a few factors that could be causing this, some of which will be mentioned here. Let’s discuss further about what causes uneven heating in your home.
What Is Causing Uneven Heating in My Home?
Leaking Ductwork
Air ducts are what push heated air from your furnace to the air vents in every room of your house. If your ductwork has not been correctly sealed or is starting to come apart due to old age, it can result in as much as 30% of the heat generated by your furnace being lost. Even the smallest leak will have a tremendous impact on the ability of your HVAC system to keep your home warm. Large air leaks have the ability to completely eliminate the flow of warm air to rooms furthest away from your heating system, leaving those rooms feeling much colder during the winter months.
An Incorrectly Sized Furnace or Ductwork
If your home’s ductwork or furnace is too small, you won’t be able to get the airflow that is needed in all parts of the building. This will not only result in some family members either sweltering or shivering; over time, it will cause serious damage to your furnace unit as well. For instance, during the winter, poor airflow can result in the furnace overheating and can damage the furnace’s heat exchanger. In summer, the air conditioning evaporator coil can freeze, damaging both the air conditioner and the furnace blower motor. If your furnace is incorrectly sized, it’s worth considering installing a new, high-efficient furnace. A professional HVAC contractor will be able to help you find a furnace that is correctly sized for your home in order to fix uneven heating in your home.
Affected Rooms Are Far from the Furnace
Rooms that are the furthest away from your heating system will, unfortunately, receive less conditioned air than the rest of the house. This can result in uneven heating throughout the house. If the rooms furthest away from the heating system still struggle after everything else has been tried, you may consider a zoning system. This will make each room its own zone that can be controlled by its own thermostat. A Zoning system is a great solution because unoccupied zones can be shut off, and can help save you energy.
Thermostats Work the Best in Rooms They are Installed in
Thermostats do the best job of heating the room they are installed in. For example, if yours is in your bedroom, the entire system will turn off when that room reaches the preset temperature. However, if the heating in your house has not reached the furthest room from the furnace, your thermostat might not be providing an accurate temperature reading for the entire house. You expect equal heating in your house, but if your thermostat is located in a particularly sunny room, it might be throwing off the temperature for all the other rooms in the house.
Insufficient Insulation
Although this is commonly seen in older properties, many newer homes have also been found to be poorly insulated. If your home isn’t able to retain cool air or heat, you will spend more to keep the temperature inside comfortable throughout the year.
Room-related Factors
The location of rooms, as well as the amount and size of windows in the rooms, will also affect the temperature. If you live in a particularly cold or warm area, the size and number of windows in the room as well as how the windows are sealed will have an effect on the temperature of that room.
How to Fix Cold Spots in Your Home
If you’re experiencing uneven heating across your home, it is likely due to one of the aforementioned heating system issues. We recommend contacting a reputable heating and cooling company to inspect your HVAC system and determine what the problem is. If the issue is related to leaky ducts, an incorrectly sized furnace, or thermostat issues, the technicians at Ravinia Plumbing can provide the services you need.
Contact Ravinia Plumbing for Quality Heating Services
If you have been struggling to heat or cool your whole home evenly, it may be time to have an energy audit and/or a furnace system inspection performed. We’ve been in business since 1928, and we’ve made a name for ourselves as one of the most trusted and reliable plumbing, sewer, heating, and air conditioning, and electrical companies in Chicagoland. Contact Ravinia Plumbing today to schedule an appointment.
