Heat not being distributed evenly in the house is a very common problem in many homes.
If this happens, some areas of the home might become so hot while others remain cold. This can be undoubtedly frustrating, especially if you don’t know the cause or how to fix the uneven heat in your house.
The solution here is to balance the air in your HVAC system to make sure that it is evenly distributed. But how do you do that?
This process requires some testing by a qualified technician to identify the cause of the problem. However, it is still possible to do some DIY fixing to correct the problem before you get the services of a professional.
How to Fix Uneven Heating in the House
Before trying to fix the problem of the heat not distributing easily in the house, first you need to identify the root cause. From here, you can find a way to fix it.
Cause 1: Blocked and Dirty Vents or Ducts
Air vents and ducts tend to accumulate dirt and dust over time. When these vents are filled with debris, they affect the flow of air to different parts of the room. The air imbalance caused by blocked ducts creates inefficiency in the heating system causing uneven heating.
Apart from blockage by dirt and dust, these vents can also be blocked by furniture or other objects since they are located on the floor or walls. The effect is still the same as when they are blocked by dirt.
Solution: In case you notice the blockage is caused by furniture or other items, make sure that you move them. The area around your HVAC system should be open to allow the free flowing of air. If the blockage is caused by dirt or dust, you need to do some cleaning.
Depending on the model of your HVAC system, a vacuum cleaner is enough and will do the trick. Blowing some air into the vents will get rid of most of the dirt. However, you can still call a technician to help you with the cleaning.
Cause 2: Old and Unserviced HVAC System
The average lifespan of an HVAC system is around 20 years. It might be more or less, depending on the model that you are using.
It is advisable to service your unit at least twice a year or at the beginning of every season. And failing to service your unit or using it past its lifespan can be detrimental to its performance. With time you will start noticing inefficiencies, like uneven heat distribution, because some parts are not working effectively.
Solution: The solution is to keep up with the maintenance schedule. Make sure that you invite a technician to service and clean the unit every six months. The technician will make sure that everything is working effectively and also reduce the chances of breakdowns.
If you have been using your system for more than 15 years, it might be the perfect time to think about replacing it with a new one. After the lifespan elapses, no amount of repair or servicing will work.
Cause 3: Poor System Sizing
If you are experiencing uneven heating, there are chances that your HVAC system is too big or too small for your house. In case your system is too big, it will use excessive energy to heat your home. The result is that some rooms will heat very fast while others will take time before heating.
You will also incur high energy bills by using a system that is too big for your home. And if you have a small HVAC system, it will take a long time to sufficiently heat your home, causing the poor distribution of heat.
Solution: Always make sure that you use the right HVAC sizing for your home. There are plenty of online calculators that can help you to determine the right size for your system. You can also call your technician to help you determine the right size of unit needed for your home.
Cause 4: Poor Home Ventilation
Sometimes the performance of your HVAC unit has nothing to do with the system. Poor ventilation in your home can also determine how your system will work.
For instance, your doors and windows need to be properly sealed so that they can allow proper heat distribution. Broken seals and cracked windows might affect the proper distribution of heat in the home.
Solution: The best way to solve this problem is to repair and improve ventilation in your home. You can always do some inspection to point out the problematic areas.
Replace the broken seals on windows and also make sure that you seal any visible cracks. If you are not able to do it on your own, your heating expert will help you with proper home ventilation so that you can achieve efficiency.
Cause 5: Broken Thermostats and Controls
When heating your home, you need to make sure that everything is working correctly so that you save energy. You can do this by monitoring temperatures all the time. Using a thermostat is a good way to keep everything in check.
A thermostat will always regulate how your house should be heated. If you have a zone control unit in the house, it is supposed to send the right information for sufficient heating in various heating zones.
Solution: Always make sure that your thermostats and controls are working effectively. It is also important to adjust them accordingly depending on how you want your house to be heated.
With proper working controls, you will have proper heat distribution and achieve efficiency when heating your home.
Cause 6: Poor Home Layout
The layout of your home can cause uneven heat in the house. If you have some rooms hidden in corners, it might be difficult to heat the entire space.
Two-story homes are also challenging to heat since different floors always pose heating challenges. In this case, the uneven heating has nothing to do with the performance of your HVAC unit but the home layout.
Solution: It might be difficult to change your home’s layout to achieve heating efficiency. However, you can be creative with your HVAC unit placement so that all the rooms in the house receive heat equally.
You can also place different thermostats in different rooms depending on the heat requirement. Proper HVAC and thermostat placement might be challenging, but a technician can always help to make sure that you do it correctly.
Uneven heat in the house can be caused by problems with your HVAC system. It can also be caused by structural or architectural problems in the house.
So, identify which one is the problem first.