Proper airflow in your house is essential. Why? It helps ensure that your indoor climate stays at a consistent temperature and humidity level. Additionally, ample airflow keeps your home feeling fresh and less stuffy.
If any of the rooms in your home feel stuffy, they may not be getting enough airflow. This brings us to our main topic today: how to increase airflow to one room. If one of the rooms in your house isn’t getting enough airflow, how do you fix it without affecting the rest of your house?
When increasing airflow in a home overall, you can try HVAC system maintenance solutions like cleaning your air filters. But will they help when you only need to increase airflow in a specific room? Not necessarily.
Fortunately, if you’re wondering how to increase airflow to one room, we’ve created this handy guide to help you out. Read below for some tips!
Six ways to increase airflow in a single room
If you want to increase airflow in a room without affecting other rooms, here are our top recommended solutions.
1. Open the windows and doors to the room
Wondering how to increase the airflow to one room? Try opening a window or a door. We put this one first because it’s the quickest and easiest method.
Opening the windows and room door will help increase airflow. This is because it allows air from other rooms or the outdoors to enter this specific room to increase air flow in the room.
Proper air circulation in a room is essential. It not only prevents mold and bacteria growth, but also allows for dust and other pollutants to move out of the room. Also, it helps to remove stuffy or stale air in the room.
2. Enlarge the return vents
If there are no windows or doors in the room, you can try increasing the size of the room’s return vents. Return vents supply air to a room; the larger the vents, the more air will flow into the room.
However, you just cannot increase the size of the vents. You must also consider the velocity of the air coming from the ducts.
For example, let’s assume the current airflow to a room is 150 CFM (cubic feet per minute) from a 12×4″ duct. Now, you wish to increase this to around 240 CFM. You’ll need an 18×4″ vent to get the desired 240 CFM.
Sizing requirements can be a little tricky to figure out. If you aren’t familiar with these sizing, which is the case for many people, don’t hesitate to call a qualified technician to assist you.
3. Ensure you clean the HVAC air cleaners
Air cleaners are designed to help prevent dust, dirt, and other particles from accessing indoors. This helps to maintain a clean and healthy space for living.
However, this dirt and dust accumulating on the air cleaner will prevent air from reaching the rooms. If this is the case, cleaning or changing the air cleaner is an easy solution.
While this approach affects all the rooms in the house, it means that even the room you are targeting will also have better airflow. So, if you are thinking of how to increase airflow in the ductwork, this is one sure approach to follow.
4. Close the vents to some rooms
In learning how to increase airflow to one room, some options might be easier and more effective than others. Consider closing vents to the other rooms, especially the ones you don’t use often.
The air circulating in your house is coming from a single source. If you close some vents, the airflow to the other vents will increase. So, if you are aiming to increase airflow in a certain room, close some or all the other vents in other spaces so more air can reach your target room.
This method lets you increase airflow in a room without changing the air vents or interfering with the structure of your ductwork. You simply stop the airflow to other rooms and redirect it toward your target room.
5. Use a fan
Instead of cranking up your AC unit to improve air quality in the house, installing a fan is a better and cheaper way to improve airflow. Often trying to improve AC air flow could mean higher energy bills. However, getting a fan can be highly energy-efficient.
A fan will help to cool your house as it also ensures ample air circulation in the room. The fan will move the air around, increasing airflow. And, when combined with open windows and doors, fans are very effective.
6. Unblock the vents
If you’re trying to figure out how to increase airflow to one room, you may just need to unblock your vents. Things like furniture, for instance, could block the vents and prevent air from reaching the room. The solution here is simply to remove anything covering or blocking your vents.
Also, your vents could be blocked by dirt or debris, which can minimize airflow. Check inside the vents to see if that is the case. If it is, ensure you remove the debris or if you’re unable to, contact a professional to help you.
You don’t have to deal with a stuffy room. Call a professional to help.
Learning how to increase airflow in an air duct is essential in improving air circulation in a room. For instance, something as easy as opening a window or a door to a room can significantly improve the airflow in that room. Installing a fan is another quick and easy way to help increase air movement in that room.
While we included six of our favorite options, there are more solutions besides the ones we listed. If these don’t work, increasing airflow in your ductwork will be the ultimate solution.
Let a professional assess your house as they will be able to advise you accordingly. And while you can do most of these simple tasks yourself, a professional can help you find a permanent solution so you can have proper airflow throughout your whole house.
Book an appointment with any of our HVAC professionals today.