Homes can have problems with even heating or cooling throughout the house. Some areas might be hotter than others while some rooms might have a perpetual chill.
Here are some ways to get better control over the temperature throughout your house.
General considerations
Windows: Some rooms are warmer than others because of sunlight coming in. In the northern hemisphere, southern-facing rooms get hotter because of this sunlight. Installing the right drapes or blinds prevents the space from overheating. On the other hand, you can turn down your heat on a sunny winter’s day while you let the sun do the work.
Leaky construction: If outside air enters your home through cracks in the wall or spaces around windows, this prevents your comfort system from doing its job, particularly with extreme outdoor temperatures. Have a professional fill in gaps where possible and consider renovating your building exterior to tighten up the construction to keep your rooms warm in winter and cool in summer.
Air System Control
Residential air systems generally have ductwork that’s sized to provide a certain amount of airflow to each space.
Your system may have balancing dampers at the main branches. If not, this is something you can discuss with a professional. You can also control air with dampers in the grilles. That lets you reduce or close off the airflow to a space. More elaborate systems have dampers connected to thermostats. These open and close the dampers to allow airflow as needed for the space. In cases like this, the fan speed varies to provide only what is needed.
Other methods of zone control
Depending on your system and home’s construction, you may have to resort to adding heat in certain rooms with a space heater. Or you may have to use a fan in winter to cool down an overheated space. When doing this, be aware of the risk of sending your utility bill up as your central system works harder to overcome the additional load.
Better comfort
If you want more control throughout your home, give American Star a call at 847-241-2834 and we can assess your system, so your home is more comfortable this winter.
