Nine Reasons Your Home Isn’t Heating Evenly

Does your home heat unevenly? Heating unevenly is when some rooms feel comfortably warm while others are noticeably colder. Several culprits could be to blame for this home comfort challenge. Here, we’ll explore what could be triggering these temperature imbalances and show you how to resolve the problem.

Something’s Blocking Your Home’s Vents

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

How to fix it: Confirm that all your home’s vents are clear of obstructions, especially if some rooms feel like they aren’t getting enough heat. Next, check to make sure there aren’t any furniture, rugs or drapes hindering airflow. If a room is too hot, make sure the registers in the other rooms are uncovered and feel like they are putting out a similar amount of air. If a register is unobstructed but not a lot of air is flowing from it, there may be a problem with a valve or the duct isn’t routing the air to the right place.

A Clogged Air Filter Is Straining Your HVAC System

Your problem: Your furnace air filter collects and removes dust, pollen and other airborne particles to provide clean and healthy air in your home. However, a blocked filter filled with these particles can severely restrict airflow, making your furnace work harder and causing uneven heating. If warm air can’t get through easily, rooms farther from the system can be colder.

How to fix it: Look over and change the furnace’s air filter every 30-90 days, especially in the winter when the heating system operates often.

There’s Not Enough Insulation in Your Home

Your problem: Inadequate home insulation lets warm air leak out, especially in rooms nearest to outside walls or your home’s attic. This makes certain rooms more difficult to keep as warm as you’d like, even when the rest of the home feels comfortable.

How to fix it: Shore up your attic insulation to stop heat from leaving your home. If your existing insulation is in good shape, you may be able to simply layer additional insulation right on top of it.

You Have Drafty Windows and Doors

Your problem: Single-pane windows and old, leaky doors are a common culprit for letting cold air inside, putting a chill on the indoor temperature. This problem is most prevalent in older homes, which commonly have windows and doors that don’t seal as snug as they used to.

How to fix it: Stop drafts in and around doors and windows with sealing tape or caulk. Insulated curtains and thermal blinds also help keep cold air out of your home. When these simple fixes aren’t enough to prevent cold spots in your home, consider replacing your windows and exterior doors.

Duct Leaks Are Letting Warm Air Out

Your problem: Ductwork transports heated air throughout your home. If an air duct has a crack, warmth can escape before it gets to some rooms of your home.

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

Your Thermostat Is Giving Misleading Readings

Your problem: The thermostat controls the heating system in your home. If it’s in a cold or unusually warm spot, it may give distorted readings, causing your HVAC system to run at the wrong times—and lead to uneven temperatures.

How to fix it: If your thermostat is near a windy window or heat-emitting appliance, you may want to move it to another area of your home. An HVAC professional from Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help you move it to an area more representative of your home’s actual temperature where it can more accurately read your home’s average temperature. For extra convenience, consider a smart thermostat, which gives you remote temperature control and customized heating schedules.

Your Home Has an Incorrect Furnace Size

Your problem: A furnace that’s too small may struggle to heat all of your residence, leaving some rooms colder than others. On the other hand, a furnace that’s too big often runs frequently, resulting in temperature fluctuations and excessive wear and tear that can shorten the lifetime of your HVAC system.

How to fix it: Have a heating and cooling Expert evaluate your home’s furnace size compared to your home’s size, the climate where you live, the home’s insulation levels, windows and other factors. If your furnace is too small or large, think about upgrading to the right size for better heating performance and energy efficiency.

Heat Only Reaches Some Floors of Your Home

Your problem: Heat rises, which is why the second floor of your home is often comfortable while the main floor is colder.

How to fix it: Zoning your heating system is a way for you to control the temperature in different areas using independent thermostats and ductwork controls. This way, you can send warm air where you want.

It’s Time for Routine HVAC Maintenance

Your problem: Like any machine, your furnace needs regular maintenance to function smoothly. Without routine care, your HVAC system may develop issues that lower energy efficiency and stop it from heating your home evenly.

How to fix it: Schedule professional maintenance for your furnace annually—ideally in the fall before the heating season begins. Regular maintenance also helps detect and fix problems before they cause potentially costly performance issues or catastrophic breakdowns.

Trust Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for Furnace Services in the U.S.

No one likes to spend time in a ice-cold room. If an easy fix doesn’t do the trick, count on Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to get the job done right. Our ACE-certified technicians provide quick, trustworthy solutions to all your comfort needs backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Don’t let an uncomfortably chilly room get you down—call 866-397-3787 today to schedule the U.S. furnace services with the Experts at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing.