Nine Reasons Your Home Isn’t Heating Evenly

Does your home heat unevenly? Heating unevenly occurs when some rooms feel nice and cozy while others are noticeably colder. Several reasons could be to blame for this home comfort challenge. Here, we’ll help you learn what could be triggering these temperature imbalances and provide tips on how you can resolve the problem.

Air Vents Aren’t Open

Your problem: Your furnace moves warm air throughout your home via supply and return registers. If these are blocked or shut, the restricted air circulation creates warm and cold spots in your home.

How to fix it: Ensure all your home’s vents are unblocked, especially if some rooms feel like they aren’t getting enough warm air. Then, check to make sure there aren’t any decor, rugs or drapes blocking airflow. If a room is too hot, make sure the vents in the other rooms are clear and feel like they are putting out a similar amount of air. If a register is clear but not a lot of air is coming out, there may be a problem with a control mechanism or the duct isn’t forcing the air to the right place.

Your HVAC Air Filter Is Clogged

Your problem: Your furnace air filter catches dust, pollen and other airborne particles so that your air is clean. But a dirty filter filled with these particles can drastically lower airflow, making your furnace work harder and resulting in uneven heating. If warm air can’t get through easily, rooms farther from the furnace or other heating system will be colder.

How to fix it: Look over and replace the air filter every 30-90 days, especially in the winter when your heating system runs often.

Your Home Needs More Insulation

Your problem: Inadequate home insulation lets warm air leak out, especially in rooms nearest to outside walls or your home’s attic. This makes some rooms challenging to heat, even when the rest of the home feels comfortable.

How to fix it: Update your attic insulation to keep heat from leaving your home. If your existing insulation is in good shape, you may be able to simply add more on top of it.

Cold Air Is Getting in Through Doors and Windows

Your problem: Single-pane windows and old, thin doors are notorious for letting cold air into your home, putting a chill on the indoor temperature. This problem is most often seen in older homes, which frequently have windows and doors that don’t fit as snug as they used to.

How to fix it: Prevent drafts in and around doors and windows with sealing tape or caulk. Heavy-duty curtains and thermal blinds also help block out the cold. However, if these simple fixes aren’t enough to prevent cold spots in your home, consider replacing your windows and exterior doors.

You Have Leaky Ductwork

Your problem: Ductwork carries heated air to your entire home. If an air duct has a hole, warmth can leak out before it gets to some rooms of your home.

How to fix it: Hire an HVAC professional like one of our team members at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to inspect your ductwork for breaks, which can often be sealed with metal tape or mastic sealant. In more severe cases, you may need air duct repair.

Your Thermostat Is Giving Misleading Readings

Your problem: The thermostat regulates the heating system throughout your home. If it’s in a windy or unusually sunny spot, it may give misleading readings, causing your HVAC system to run at the wrong times—and create uneven temperatures.

How to fix it: If your thermostat is near a cold window or energy-producing appliance, think about relocating it. An HVAC technician from Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help you move it to a more central location where it can more accurately gauge your home’s average temperature. For extra convenience, choose a smart thermostat, which gives you remote temperature control and programmable heating schedules.

Your Furnace Is the Wrong Size

Your problem: A furnace that’s too small may have difficulty heating all of your home, leaving some rooms colder than others. On the other hand, an oversized furnace often turns on and off continuously, causing temperature fluctuations and higher wear and tear that can shorten the lifetime of your heating and air system.

How to fix it: Have a heating and cooling professional assess your home’s furnace size compared to your home’s square footage, the climate where you live, the home’s R-value, windows and other factors. If your furnace is oversized or underpowered, you may opt for upgrading to the right size for better heating performance and energy efficiency.

Your Home Struggles to Heat Multiple Levels

Your problem: Heat rises, which means the second floor of your home can be comfortable while the main floor is chilly.

How to fix it: Zoning your heating system allows you to control the temperature in different areas with independent thermostats and ductwork controls. This way, you can redirect warm air exactly where you need it.

You Need to Schedule Regular HVAC Maintenance

Your problem: Like any appliance, your furnace needs regular checkups to work smoothly. Without routine care, your HVAC system may develop issues that reduce efficiency and prevent it from heating your home evenly.

How to fix it: Schedule professional maintenance for your heating system annually—preferably in the fall before the heating season starts. Regular maintenance also helps spot and fix issues before they lead to potentially costly performance issues or catastrophic breakdowns.

Schedule Furnace Services in the U.S. Today with Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing

No one likes to be in a cold room. If you aren’t able to fix this yourself, count on Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to get the job done correctly. Our ACE-certified technicians provide efficient, reliable solutions to all your comfort needs backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Don’t let another cold spot ruin your comfort—call 866-397-3787 today to schedule the U.S. furnace services with the Experts at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing.