Are you asking yourself why are some rooms colder than others? Do you feel cool downstairs but more like your on the beach in Hawaii when you go to the second floor? If so, you may be experiencing uneven cooling from your A/C system. There’s nothing worse when parts of your home seem cooler than the rest! Many homes in Western Washington are designed with only heating in mind and no thought of the need for air conditioning in the summer months! With the focus on heating, the upper level gets about half the airflow feeding the main floor. Since heat rises, the effect is even heating of both floors during the winter.
More often than not, when uneven cooling and heating happens, it’s because of one of any number of small issues that can usually be easily fixed.
Top 5 Tips for Solving Uneven Home from the HVAC experts at MM Comfort Systems!
#1 – Switch The Fan From “Auto” to “On”
Set the fan on your thermostat “ON,” not auto or circulate. The system will circulate the air, filtering and re-distributing it to your home. This will help to cool some of the hot spots.
- When in the “on” position, your system’s fan stays on and circulates air, even after the system cooling cycle goes off. This serves to continually circulate the air in your home to help even out temperatures between the first and second floors.
- When in “auto” position, the fan runs only when there is a call for cooling and the outdoor unit is on and actively cooling the home.
#2 – Utilize Your Blinds
Close all blinds on the top floor. Use insulated or light-blocking drapes. This decreases the heat gain, which will help in keeping the temperature down. Keep all blinds open on the main floor. This increases the heat gain, which means the air conditioner will have a longer run cycle. The longer the air conditioner runs, the more cool air goes upstairs.
#3 – Use Your Air Vents to Control and Redirect Air
Blocked vents are one of the main causes of uneven cooling in homes. Be sure to check for any debris, dust buildup, or furniture that blocks these openings. If the vents are clean and furniture isn’t blocking the airflow, you can solve uneven cooling by partially closing some vents on the first floor to redirect the air to the other areas of the house. Do not try fully closing the vents for you might end up with a broken unit due to pressure buildup.
#4 – Control Areas In Your Home With A Zoning System.
A zoning system can help you directly control a room or area’s temperature and resolve any uneven cooling. This is better than just having a single thermostat to control the temperature for the entire house. MM Comfort Systems can set up configurations for the zoning system in your home depending on the cooling type, layout, and size of your home.
#5 – Schedule Seasonal Maintenance – Be Proactive!
Your HVAC system needs to be professionally inspected at least twice a year to ensure that it stays at peak performance. That way, any small problems can be caught and fixed before they develop into larger and more expensive ones. For example, a small leak in your ducts can be identified before it gets bigger and can cause uneven cooling in your home. At MM Comfort Systems, we recommend scheduling maintenance appointments for your A/C system in the spring and the fall. That way, your system will be in good shape to keep your home comfortable all year long!
If you are troubled by uneven cooling in your home and need a little help from the professionals, Click here to contact us or call 425.533.9058 to speak with one of our HVAC representatives right away! The heating & air conditioning experts for Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, and the greater Puget Sound area! #InstallitRight #FixItFast
