Air Balancing: How to Fix Hot and Cold Spots in Your Home or Office

If you’ve noticed inconsistent temperatures in the rooms of your house or office, your HVAC system may need air balancing.

What is air balancing?

Air balancing is the process of optimizing an HVAC system to make sure there aren’t any hot or cold spots in the rooms of your house or office building.

Air balancing is one of the most important factors in improving your HVAC system’s efficiency and the comfort it provides. If you’ve noticed hot or cold pockets in your home or office, you may need to have one of our experienced HVAC technicians test and adjust your system, so the air is consistent in each room. They will look at your intake and output – and adjust them accordingly so every room maintains the same comfortable temperature.

Before you call a professional, though, here are some tips to help you improve the airflow in your home or office.

6 Tips to Balance the Temperatures in Your Home or Office

1. Adjust your registers

The simple process of adjusting your registers can make a huge difference in keeping your home or office temperature comfortable. However, don’t close your vents completely because that can cause other cooling and heating issues.

In colder months – partially close the registers on the upper floor and keep the registers wide-open on the bottom floor. When the weather is warmer – reverse this process. Adjust the registers until you find the combination that is right for you.

2.  Try a two-degree offset

If you have a two-story home or office with separate thermostats for each floor, setting them with a two-degree offset can help keep the temperature consistent on both floors. For example – set the temperature on the top floor two degrees lower than the temperature on the bottom floor in colder weather. When the weather changes, do the opposite.

3. Keep air filters clean

You should check your air filters regularly. There are several benefits for keeping air filters clean:

• Improves your air quality – replacing dirty filters will improve the airflow in your home or office.
• Extends the life of your HVAC system – the most common reason an HVAC system breaks down is because of a dirty filter. A dirty filter makes your system work harder and causes it to overheat.
• Helps decrease your utility bills – heating your home or office uses more energy and is more expensive than any other system. A clean filter allows your system to run more efficiently – which helps keep your energy costs down. You can save 5 to 15 percent on your utility bill when you regularly change your air filter.
• Increases the efficiency of your HVAC system – reduced airflow through your HVAC system can cause your heat exchange to overheat and shut off too quickly. Keeping a clean filter will increase the efficiency of your system.

4. Install and use window coverings

Window treatments not only make your home and office more attractive, but they also reduce energy loss and lower your energy bills. Keep blinds and curtains closed to keep warmth in during the winter or block out the sun’s heat on long summer days. About 30% of your heating energy is lost through windows. In the summer months, about 76% of the sunlight that comes in through standard double-pane windows becomes heat.  Window coverings will maximize your HVAC system’s efficiency.

5. Watch the placement of electronics

Larger electronics like large screen TVs and computers create a lot of heat and can wreak havoc with heat distribution. When placed near thermostats, the thermostat can pick up heat from the electronics, which causes your A/C to operate longer.

6. Don’t restrict airflow

Your vents are meant to supply your home or office with free-flowing air. When you block or restrict vents with furniture and other objects, you make your HVAC system work that much harder. Make sure your vents have at least 18 inches of space around them. If your space can’t accommodate this setup, air deflectors can be used to redirect airflow as needed.

7. Adjust ceiling fans

You can significantly improve air circulation by changing the directional setting of your ceiling fans. During warm months, your ceiling fans should go counterclockwise to blow cool air down. During winter months, adjust fans to turn clockwise at a low speed to help evenly distribute warm air.

8. Schedule routine HVAC maintenance

Many homeowners neglect HVAC tune-ups until their system breaks. Maintenance checks at least once a year can help you avoid serious and expensive problems. Our total protection plan is a cost-effective way to maintain your HVAC system.

What are the benefits of air balancing?

• Increase energy efficiency – your HVAC system’s performance is directly related to airflow. Unbalanced airflow in a home or office requires the system to work harder. Correcting anything that inhibits balanced airflow ensures that the energy used for air conditioning isn’t wasted.
• Longer lifespan for HVAC system – balanced airflow decreases the amount of dust, mold, and buildup that collects in your HVAC system and helps it last longer.
• Better air quality – efficient air exchange improves air quality by lowering the amount of pollen, dust, and mold spores suspended in the air of your home or office.
• Improved comfort levels – insufficient airflow makes rooms uncomfortable. Air balancing helps deliver the optimal amount of airflow to each room and eliminates hot and cold spots.

How does air balancing work?

Air balancing is a method of testing your cooling and heating system to find any problems causing uneven airflow or negative air pressure. Balancing your central heating results in even temperatures throughout your home or office and minimizes energy consumption.  

First, technicians need to measure how much air flows from registers around your house or office building. To do this, they position flow hoods over the air supply registers. Then, using a monometer, they evaluate the air pressure on the supply and return sides of your HVAC system. Using a hygrometer, they can gauge the amount of humidity in the different spaces of your home or office – they can also determine heat gains and losses.

Looking for Air Balancing Services Near You?

If you’re experiencing hot or cold pockets in your home or office, it means your heating and cooling system isn’t working as efficiently as it should. The right balance in indoor air, including the temperature and airflow, will help keep your home or office comfortable in every season. When you need top-quality cooling and heating services in College Station and the surrounding Central Texas area, Malek Heating & Air is ready to assist you 24/7! Our licensed and experienced technicians can provide you with superior HVAC repairs, maintenance, replacements, and installations. Contact us today or give us a call to learn more about our services.