Uneven Temperatures

Uneven temperatures in your home can be very uncomfortable. They can also cause you to always be adjusting your thermostats. Evening out the temperature zones in your home can give you more comfort throughout. Many things can affect the temperatures in your home. Even if your thermostats are set to the same temperature, not every room is the same temperature.

Many things can affect the temperatures in your home. Even if your thermostats are set to the same temperature, not every room is the same temperature.

Things that Effect Temperatures in Your Home

There are many things which can influence the temperature in your home in spite of your thermostat settings.

• Heat Gain- Sunlight through glass windows and even walls can greatly affect the room temperature. Southern exposure is the lengthiest and most intense exposure.
• Airflow through the vents- Inadequate or blocked air flow can cause your HVAC system to work much harder and may produce less than desired results. HVAC systems require unencumbered air flow to operate properly and efficiently.
• Distance from the main unit- How your air flow is routed can affect the reach to the furthest zones in your home.
• Ducts- Clogged ducts or leaks in your ductwork can cause loss of airflow.
• Electronics in vicinity of thermostats- Electronics such as computers, cell phones, electronic games and radiate some heat and if they are close to your thermostats they will influence the temperature sensor in the thermostat.

Testing

In order to test the uniformity of your household temperatures begin by setting all the thermostats to 76 degrees. Allow the temperatures to stabilize over a 24 hour period. Then place a thermometer in each room in various areas. Allow about 15 minutes in each area and record the temperatures.

This will give an idea as to whether or not you have problem areas.

Things you can do

If you do discover problem areas where the temperatures are greater than 2 degrees then you might want to take steps to address the problem.

• Adjust the vents to allow more or less airflow to that room.
• Make sure the vents in each room are not being blocked by furniture, etc.
• Make sure that air electronics are not being used by your Thermostats.
• Check air filters and change if they are dirty. They need to be changed every three months or every month if you have pets or high traffic.
• If your southern facing rooms are warmer then you can try blocking the sun effects with drapes or sun/ UV blocking drapes or drapery liners.
• If there is more than a 2 degree difference from downstairs to upstairs then try offsetting the thermostats so that upstairs is set 2 degrees cooler or warmer for either winter or summer.

If you have done all this and are still experiencing a problem then you should contact your HVAC professional at Air Doctor Heating and Air to inspect your system and components then make recommendations for you.