Cold Rooms? Nine Ways to Fix a Home That’s Heating Unevenly

Does your home heat unevenly? Heating unevenly is when some rooms feel warm while others are significantly chillier. Several culprits could be to blame for this home comfort challenge. Here, we’ll explore what could be causing these temperature imbalances and show you how to solve the problem.

Something’s Blocking Your Home’s Vents

Your problem: Your furnace circulates warm air throughout your home using vent and return registers. If these are closed or covered up, the restricted air movement creates hot and cold spots in your home.

How to fix it: Make sure all the vents are clear of obstructions, especially if certain rooms feel like they aren’t getting enough warm air. Next, check to make sure there aren’t any furniture, carpets or curtains hindering airflow. If a room is too hot, make sure the vents in the other rooms are open and feel like they are putting out a similar amount of air. If a register is unobstructed but not a lot of air is flowing from it, there may be a problem with a valve or the duct isn’t routing the air to the right place.

Your HVAC System Has a Dirty Air Filter

Your problem: Your furnace air filter collects and removes dust, pollen and other airborne particles to keep your air clean. But a clogged filter filled with these particles can drastically lower airflow, making your heating system work harder and resulting in uneven heating. If warm air can’t get through easily, rooms farther from the system will be colder.

How to fix it: Check and swap out the air filter every 30-90 days, especially in the winter when the heating system runs often.

Your Home Has Poor Insulation

Your problem: Inadequate home insulation lets warm air seep out of your home, especially in rooms exposed to outside walls or your attic. This makes certain rooms more difficult to keep as warm as you’d like, even when the rest of the home is nice and comfortable.

How to fix it: Shore up your attic insulation to stop heat from escaping from your home. If the material currently insulating your home is in good shape, you may be able to simply add more on top of it.

You Have Drafty Windows and Doors

Your problem: Single-pane windows and old, drafty doors are often to blame for letting cold air into your home, disrupting the indoor temperature. This problem is most prevalent in older homes, which commonly have windows and doors that don’t seal as snug as they should.

How to fix it: Stop drafts in and around doors and windows by installing insulation strips or caulk. Thermal curtains and thermal blinds also help block out the cold. If you find that these simple fixes aren’t enough to prevent cold spots in your home, you may want to think about replacing your windows and exterior doors.

You Have Leaky Ductwork

Your problem: Ductwork delivers heated air throughout your home. If there’s a hole, warm air can leak out before it gets to some rooms of your home.

How to fix it: Hire an HVAC specialist like one of our team members at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to inspect your ductwork for leaks, which can usually be sealed with metal tape or mastic sealant. In more severe cases, you may need to replace the ducts.

Your Thermostat Is in a Bad Spot

Your problem: The thermostat manages the heating system in your home. If it’s in a drafty or unusually warm spot, it may give distorted readings, causing your HVAC system to run at the wrong times—and lead to uneven temperatures.

How to fix it: If your thermostat is near a windy window or heat-generating appliance, it might be a good idea to find a new place for it. An HVAC specialist from Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help you move it to an area more representative of your home’s actual temperature where it can more accurately gauge your home’s average temperature. For extra convenience, opt for a smart thermostat, which gives you remote temperature control and customized heating schedules.

Your Furnace Is the Wrong Size

Your problem: A furnace that’s too small may not heat all of your residence, leaving some rooms colder than others. On the other hand, an oversized furnace often runs frequently, causing temperature fluctuations and excessive wear and tear that can shorten the lifetime of your heating and air system.

How to fix it: Have a heating and cooling professional evaluate the size and capacity of the furnace in your home compared to your home’s size, the climate where you live, the home’s insulation quality, windows and other factors. If your furnace is mismatched, consider upgrading to the right size for better heating performance and energy efficiency.

Your Home Struggles to Heat Multiple Levels

Your problem: Heat rises, which is why the second floor of your home is often heated while the main floor is chilly.

How to fix it: Zoning your heating system is a way for you to control the temperature in different rooms with separate thermostats and ductwork dampers. This way, you can redirect warm air where you want.

It’s Time for Routine HVAC Maintenance

Your problem: Like any appliance, your furnace needs regular tune-ups to function smoothly. When you don’t provide routine care, your HVAC system may end up with issues that reduce efficiency and hinder it from heating your home evenly.

How to fix it: Schedule professional maintenance for your heating system annually—ideally in the fall before the heating season kicks off. Regular maintenance also helps detect and fix issues before they become potentially expensive performance issues or major breakdowns.

Schedule Furnace Services in the U.S. Today with Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing

No one likes spending time in a chilly room. If one of these simple fixes doesn’t solve the issue, count on Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to get the job done properly. Our ACE-certified technicians provide fast, trustworthy solutions to all your comfort needs backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Don’t let an uncomfortably chilly room get you down—call 866-397-3787 today to schedule the U.S. furnace services with the Experts at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing.