How to Heat Your Home More Evenly

tiny house wrapped in a scarf

A good HVAC system should keep your home comfortable during winter, but this is not always the case. If you’ve noticed inconsistent temperatures in your home, below are some things you can do to achieve more consistent warmth.

1. Have an AC Expert Check the Ducts for Leaks

A portion of the heated air traveling through the ventilation system can escape through leaks in the ductwork. Hot and cold spots develop from leaky ducts and reduce your home’s comfort. Moreover, unfiltered air enters through these leaks and affects your indoor air quality. An HVAC professional can check your system to rule out any leaky ducts and ensure your space is being heated as it should. 

2. Add Insulation in the Attic

When most homeowners think about energy efficiency, they hardly consider the critical role that the attic plays in heat loss. However, as much as 85% of the heat lost in a house flows through this forgotten room. While most attics have insulation, there’s usually not enough of it. Before you add insulation, make sure that the attic is well vented and sealed. Then, consult an expert for the best insulation material, including fiberglass rolls, foam polyurethane, or cotton insulation.

You can either insulate the floors or roof, depending on your plans for the attic. If you want to finish the attic, insulate the roof. Floor insulation suits unfinished attics. Proper attic insulation keeps you toasty when it’s cold; it also improves AC efficiency, so better insulation is a win-win all year long.

3. Set the Fan to “On”

Your thermostat has a setting that allows you to set the fan switch to either “On” or “Auto.” When the setting is on “Auto,” the system distributes warm air when the furnace generates heat and stops as soon as the furnace stops. Then, the fan starts the cycle afresh, resulting in uneven temperatures from the frequent starts and stops.

When you have it switched to the “On” setting, the fan stays on and distributes air even after the furnace goes off, helping to even out the temperatures across your home.

4. Check Your Vents

Your vents have a big impact on the effectiveness of your system, and there are a few things you can look check with your vents to get the best heat distribution through your home.

To start, furniture can block vents and interrupt airflow, so it’s a good idea to make sure that there are no beds or couches blocking air supply vents in any room. 

Additionally, because vents can accumulate dirt and debris over time, you can vacuum them every so often to promote better air supply.

And finally, if your system has a top/bottom return vent structure, you can close the top vents whenever it’s cold. In doing this, you encourage your system to draw in air from the bottom vents, where the bulk of cold air is.

5. Change the Air Filter

Many homeowners forget to change the air filter every 1-3 months, but it’s really one of the simplest tasks you can complete to support a working systeme. Accumulated dirt and debris clog the filter, restrict airflow, and cause heating problems. When this happens, the most distant rooms receive little warm air. Fortunately, this is a minor issue you can solve rapidly by yourself.

6. Upgrade to a Larger or Smaller Furnace

Inconsistent heating can signal an incorrectly sized furnace for your needs. If you’ve recently completed a remodeling project, your heating requirements may have changed. In other cases, your furnace may be too large, where it cycles on and off quickly and leaves you cold. Keep in mind that the ductwork can also fail to meet the furnace’s capacity. An HVAC specialist can diagnose these issues and advise you accordingly.

7. Create a Zoning System

A new type of technology, zoning systems help evenly heat and cool your home. The number of zones depends on your house’s layout and size, and heating and cooling needs. Each zone will have a thermostat that lets you select different temperatures and set pre-programmed schedules. In addition to fixing uneven heating, zoning systems improve energy efficiency and result in reduced utility bills.

Fix Your HVAC Problems with Help from our Heating Company in Yankton, SD!

In some cases, you only need to change the filter or reset the thermostat fan to solve uneven heating. However, inconsistent heating may signal complex HVAC problems that our experts are glad to diagnose. And because winters in South Dakota can be pretty brutal, it’s important to make sure your heat is working the way it should. 

Is your space too cold for comfort? Contact our heating company in Yankton, SD today! Our services are available 24/7 to families and businesses in Yankton, Vermillion, and other nearby areas. 

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