If you find that you have hot and cold spots in your Crestview home, you’re not alone. This is a relatively normal problem. While it might seem like a big issue, the good news is that the normal causes of hot and cold spots are usually easy to fix with a simple air conditioning service. The most routine causes for hot and cold spots are:
- No zoning or improper zoning
- Poorly designed or ineffectively sized duct systems
- Leaky or inefficiently insulated air ducts
- HVAC equipment that is too big or too small
Lack of Zoning or Improper Zoning
A zoning system splits your home into separate areas, known as “zones,” and means you can determine the air temperature in each zone. The system uses multiple thermostats that control dampers in the ductwork of your forced-air system. The thermostats constantly read the temperature of their assigned zone, then open or close the dampers according to the thermostat's settings. This may be the key to keeping that one cold bedroom warm in the winter, or that hot box sunroom comfortable all summer. Plus, when you utilize it with a programmable thermostat, zoning may mean home energy savings of up to 35 percent.*
Poorly Designed or Ineffectively Sized Duct Systems
Some homeowners experience hot and cold spots simply because their home’s duct system isn’t sized correctly for the room that needs heated and cooled, or it’s designed the wrong way. We find this is especially common in homes that were built before many of today’s tools and training were available. Unfortunately, even the most energy-efficient HVAC equipment can’t meet homeowners’ expectations if the duct system isn’t permitting it to do its job. In fact, a bad duct system could actually cause new equipment to work harder than necessary and decrease its lifespan. The professionals at Gordon Air Conditioning can help you determine if your duct work is working for your home.
Leaky or Inadequately Insulated Air Ducts
Even if your duct system is designed and sized properly for your home, it may still be at the root of your home’s hot and cold spots. It’s common for the ducts in a home to leak a bit over time. Professionals like Gordon Air Conditioning can look at your ducts and let you know if they should be sealed. They may also find that your ducts aren’t leaking, but they’re not correctly insulated. Fortunately, this is also a generally simple fix.
Improperly Sized HVAC Equipment
So maybe your air duct system is just fine and you have a good zoning system, but you’re still experiencing hot and cold spots throughout your home. Improperly sized HVAC equipment may be the issue. A system that is too small has to work harder to heat or cool your home, which leaves hot and cold spots because it can’t handle the amount of space it needs to condition. Even a system that’s too big can leave you with problems because it’ll cycle on and off too often to do its job correctly.
No matter what’s the cause of the hot and cold spots in your home, Gordon Air Conditioning can help. Just give us a call at 850-250-0335 and we’ll help you pinpoint the problem and determine if you need air conditioning service, or any other types of HVAC service that could help you keep your home comfy.
*Source: U.S. Department of Energy statistics