Hot and Cold Spots? Learn How to Balance the Temperatures in Your Las Vegas Home
As the seasons change, you may experience changes in your comfort level, hot and cold spots in parts of your home or an increase in your energy costs. This may indicate that your system needs to be “balanced.” We refer to this service as “Air Balancing.”
Your air conditioning and heating system’s ability to keep you comfortable is impacted by many things. For instance, areas in your home that have windows facing west may require additional cooling than those facing north. Rooms with a lot of electronic equipment may require additional cooling as well. The ductwork in your home was designed to allow adjustments to accommodate these needs.
Air balancing is an important part of regular HVAC maintenance which can minimize uneven temperatures and maximize your comfort and energy savings. We recommend you take these steps at the beginning of each season. This process can easily be completed without the help of a technician. In fact, since proper “air balancing” can take a few days, it is best done by someone in the home.
How to Balance Airflow in the House
Cooling Season
- Set Thermostat to 76 Degrees
- Wait 1 Day
- Find Cool Spots and Close Vents Slightly
- Wait Another Day and Adjust Again
Heating Season
- Check Seals On Doors and Windows
- Find Warm Spots and Close Vents Slightly
- Adjust or Close Vents in Halls and Upstairs Rooms
The following in-depth guide can help you get your system properly balanced for each season:
COOLING SEASON:
- Set your thermostat to a temperature of 76-78 degrees. Even if this is not the ideal temperature you would like – it is an ideal range for testing as it allows you to feel slight changes in temperature, so you will know when to make adjustments.
- Leave the thermostat at this setting for a minimum of 24 hours.
- In areas that are too cool, start adjusting the ceiling and wall vents to allow for less airflow (closing in small increments). These adjustments will help redistribute cooler air into the warmer areas in your home.
- 24 hours later, and at the same time of day, re-check the areas you made adjustments in. If the rooms are still too warm, continue adjusting the areas’ vents in small increments.
- Repeat the process until you have reached your desired temperature in all rooms. This can take 4-5 times to get the distribution you want.
HEATING SEASON:
- Heat loss can play a big factor here. Check doors and window seals to ensure they are sealed tight.
- Warmer rooms, needless heat, adjust vents down to redistribute air to cooler areas of your home.
- During the heating season, you may need to close vents, such as upstairs and in open hall areas. Heat rises and tends to overheat upper floors.
- Set your thermostat for 76-78 degrees and follow the steps outlined for the cooling season. Adjust vents accordingly.
- Las Vegas can experience some extreme temperatures. When our temperatures soar over 108 degrees we suggest that you keep your fan switch on your thermostat to “on” to help keep the air distributed in your home. This will also help reduce cold and hot spots.
Tips For Air Balancing Throughout The Seasons:
- Electronic equipment creates a lot of heat and can really affect your comfort. The addition of large-screen TVs, computers, and even lamps can change the distribution of heat in the room and may require you to make adjustments to your vents.
- Keep heat-generating appliances and electronics away from your thermostat.
- Windows can also play a big factor in your comfort level. Windows without coverings magnify the heat and can heat up a room before the thermostat can respond. Window coverings can make a big difference. Keeping windows covered during the hottest part of the day will decrease your energy use.
We take your comfort seriously, and although we are not specifically an “Air Balancing Contractor,” if you run into air balancing issues that you cannot address using these tips, please feel free to contact us. Our Las Vegas AC repair professionals will be happy to come out to help balance your home’s heating and cooling system at our low rates.
