A good heating and cooling system means your space will consistently be the perfect temperature, right? That’s not always the case. Even with the greatest HVAC system, you may discover that your house isn’t evenly heated or cooled—especially on the coldest and hottest Portland days. That’s because there’s more that goes into the equation. Your registers, how you run your HVAC and other user preferences can impact the temperatures you feel throughout your home. The experts at Three Rivers Heating & Cooling are here to share some things that you can adjust to more evenly heat and cool your home without calling for heating and cooling service.
Check for Closed, Blocked, or Dirty Registers
Check your home for blocked registers and air returns that are covered by objects, or that have dirt and debris built up dust and dirt on them. Blocked registers can be the culprit for uneven heating and cooling. If a register is blocked, the warm or cool air will be redirected to other rooms leaving certain rooms at incorrect temperatures.
Make Sure You Have Enough Insulation
If your home doesn’t have enough insulation in the attic, you might be losing heated air during the winter and permitting hot outside air throughout the summer through the top of your home. A poorly or improperly insulated attic could mean major temperature differences on different levels of your home. Look to see if you have sufficient insulation and that it’s the correct kind of insulation for your type of home and the weather in Portland.
Keep Your HVAC’s Fan Running
Many people keep their HVAC fan set to “Auto” and think this means the fan will only run when necessary. What actually happens is that the fan only runs when the heating or cooling kicks on. By putting your fan in the “On” position, you can help keep the air circulating through your home consistently and, therefore, keep the temperature more steady throughout your home.
Check Your Home and Your Ducts for Leaks
When your air ducts have leaks or holes in them, they could spell trouble for your HVAC system. They’ll have to operate harder to do their job, and some rooms may end up colder or hotter than other parts of the house. The same is true for air leaks near windows and doors in certain rooms. Luckily, repairing most air leaks is isn’t difficult.
Consider a Zoning System
Another thing you can do to adjust how evenly your home is heated and cooled is have your existing HVAC system zoned. It’s definitely more of a long-term project and a greater investment than other means of heating and cooling your home evenly, but it gives you ultimate control. If you are interested in more information about zoning possibilities for your home, Three Rivers Heating & Cooling can help.
If you have any more questions about evenly cooling or heating your home, call us at 503-213-4433. Or, if you suspect you may be in need of heating and cooling service, we can be of help.