Ross and Witmer Balancing airflow is an integral part of home comfort and energy efficiency. If the air isn’t circulating properly, you will experience pockets of hot and cold, and will notice elevated utility bills, reflecting your HVAC system’s efforts to keep your home at a consistent temperature.
If you are concerned that the airflow isn’t balanced in your home, you may want to contact a professional. Otherwise, there are few things you can try on your own to see if they help.
- Partially close the vents. You never want to completely close the vents in a room. This isn’t good for your system, and will just keep that cooled or warmed air inside the ducts, rather than circulating around your living space. During the summertime, closing the vents can cause your A/C coil to freeze up. That being said, certain rooms may benefit from a slight vent adjustment in order to maintain a more consistent temperature. Once you have adjusted the vents, change the thermostat back to its normal settings and see if your house is more comfortable.
- Utilize shading techniques. Balancing airflow can be as simple as utilizing shading techniques to prevent, or encourage, solar heat gain. This allows your HVAC system to do its job more efficiently. During the summer months, you want to make sure windows with western and southern exposure have adequate shade protection, in the form of landscaping and window coverings, so you can control the solar heat gain effect.
- Adjust the dampers. This job may be more involved. If you feel comfortable locating the dampers and adjusting them, proceed. Otherwise, call a licensed HVAC technician to do it for you. The dampers are usually located in your ductwork, off of the main branch. Look for wing nuts, which control the damper direction. When the wing nut is perpendicular to the ground the damper is closed, when it is parallel, it is all the way open. Slowly adjust the wing nuts to open or close the damper as needed.
Still having trouble balancing airflow in your Charlotte area home? Contact Ross and Witmer. We’ve provided superior HVAC service and installation since 1945.