You walk into your living room and notice a draft. You check the windows and doors, but nothing is open or broken. You go back and that same spot is cold. Unfortunately, this isn’t a draft or you getting sick; this is an issue with your ductwork. Sometimes there is something wrong with your HVAC that causes parts of your home to be warmer or colder than the rest. While isolated, these can escalate to bigger problems if not handled soon enough.
Common Causes
While the common culprit is typically your ductwork, there are plenty of possible problems that could lead to hot and cold spots in your home.
Blocked Air Vents
Many rooms are full of potential obstructions to your vents. Furniture, curtains, loose clothing, there are many different items that could end up in the way of clear airflow, which then causes a hot or cold spot in the room.
Dirty Air Filters
When was the last time you cleaned your air filter? If it’s been over three months, there’s a good chance that your hot or cold spots are caused by restricted airflow.
Leaky Ductwork
Over time, your ductwork will wear out, which can result in gaps or holes in the duct system. The air will leak out before it reaches the room, causing parts of the house to be hotter while others are colder.
Improperly-Sized Ducts
If your ductwork isn’t sized correctly for your home, this could lead to uneven air distribution. Always make sure that your airflow is tested before the project is completed, otherwise you can spend extra money later to modify ductwork across the house.
Poor Insulation
This is more common if you live in an older home, but even new homes can encounter problems with insulation. If not enough insulation is allocated to walls, ceilings, or floors, then heat can easily escape in the winter or cold escaping in the summer, leading to temperature problems.
Drafts
Check if your windows and doors are properly sealed. If they aren’t, this could cause a draft in the room, leeching warmth or cold from it as outside air slowly leaks in.
Any one of these issues could lead to hot or cold spots in the home, in some cases it could even be multiple causes creating a compounding effect. Identifying these problems is the first step to solving your hot/coldspot questions, so now you can seek out expert solutions.
Common Solutions
Once you’ve identified the problem, you can start implementing the solution. The cause will also alter the choice you need to make.
Inspect Vents
If air vents are the problem, check in on them occasionally. You may have moved furniture in the way or they could be covered by something that prevents air from entering the room. Once the obstruction is clear, the temperature should regulate.
Check Air Filters
If air filters are the issue, make sure to routinely check your air filters to see if they are dirty or require replacements. Air can’t flow through a mesh covered in dirt and dust.
Duct Leaks
While touched on previously, if your ducts are leaking, you should either get them replaced or patched. Replacement is pricey, but if the repairs required are extensive enough, you may have to make that call. Either way, getting the ducts fixed should result in smoother airflow.
New Ducts
If you have improperly-sized ducts, you may need new ducts entirely. This opens you up to new possibilities such as ductless systems.
Ductless Systems: As the name implies, this is a hot and cold air system that doesn’t use ductwork. Instead, it heats and cools using individual wall or ceiling-mounted mini-split blowers to regulate airflow in each room, giving you a greater degree of control over the temperature in each room.
Zoned HVAC System: Similar to a ductless system, a zoned HVAC system divides your home into zones and regulates temperature between these zones separately. However, instead of relying on individually mounted systems, this can modify existing ductwork to zone your home.
Added Insulation
If you don’t have enough insulation, it’s time to get it added in! The right amount of insulation helps you save money in the long run as your home won’t be losing internal temperature to external leeching.
Professional Ductwork Inspection
There may come a time when you need to call in the pros to check your ducts and see if everything is working correctly. If an issue arises, they can give you an estimate or even get to work on it straight away depending on their workload. An expert HVAC installation and repair provider like Saylors Systems can get your ductwork fixed up in no time. We even have a full range of HVAC supplies to get you moving on your newest HVAC project.
Our HVAC and ductwork solutions ensure that your home operates on regulated temperature across the board. No hot or cold spots will catch you by surprise with our systems in place. If you run into an issue regulating temperature in your home, our repair services can fix your ducts and bring you the peace of mind you deserve. Contact us if you’re ready to get a new system in place or repair your current one and our team of experts will be on their way.
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