Problems With Uneven Heating In The Home
When you turn on your furnace, you expect your home to heat relatively equally. It can be frustrating when some rooms stay freezing cold while others are comfortable. There are a variety of reasons why your home may heat unevenly. The following can help you find the cause of your discomfort.
Are the vents closed or blocked?
Blocked vents are the most likely non-mechanical reason for uneven heating. Make sure no furniture, drapery, or tablecloths are covering up the vents or the air returns located on the floor or lower walls of the rooms. Next, verify that the vents are fully opened. If you have issues with things being set on top of floor vents, invest in angled register covers. These create a barrier above the vent so things can't be set on it, while also redirecting air into the room.
Is the ductwork damaged?
Gaps in the ductwork lead to heat loss before it ever reaches the room. Over time as a house settles, ducts can become loose and joints can fail. If your ducts are easily visible, such as via an unfinished basement, you can inspect them yourself for gaps. Patch up any visible gaps with HVAC tape. Otherwise, you may need to schedule an HVAC inspection. The tech will use a camera on a long cable to locate gaps. They will then come up with a strategy to fix the problems.
What size is your furnace?
It is not uncommon for a furnace to be undersized for a home, which can also result in insufficient or uneven heating. If you have recently removed walls, added a basement or garage onto the heat grid, or constructed an addition to your home, then it is even more likely that your furnace is the wrong size for your home. Furnace capacity is measured in BTUs. In general, the furnace needs to supply 30 BTUs of heat energy for every 1000 square feet of home to be heated.
When was your last maintenance visit?
Dirty filters, damaged burners or fuel valves, and weak blowers are just a few of the mechanical issues that can reduce the heat output of your furnace. Although these issues are minor in the beginning, they can eventually result in a full breakdown. Schedule annual furnace tune-ups so you can catch minor issues and repair them before they begin to impact your comfort or turn into an expensive repair.
If you can't find or fix an issue with uneven heating on your own, contact a residential heating service for more help.
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