Nine Reasons Your Home Isn’t Heating Evenly

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

Closed or Blocked Vents

Your problem: Your furnace moves heated air throughout your home using supply and return registers. If these are closed or shut, the restricted air circulation creates hot and cold spots in your home.

How to fix it: Confirm that all the vents are open, especially if certain rooms feel like they aren’t getting enough warmth. Then, check to make sure there aren’t any furnishings, rugs or curtains hindering airflow. If a room is too warm, make sure the vents in the other rooms are uncovered and feel like they are putting out about the same amount of air. If a register is unobstructed but not a lot of air is coming out, there may be a problem with a damper 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 traps dust, pollen and other airborne particles to provide clean and healthy air in your home. However, a dirty filter filled with these particles can significantly reduce airflow, making your heating system work harder and causing uneven heating. If warm air can’t get through easily, rooms farther from the system will be colder.

How to fix it: Inspect and swap out the furnace’s air filter every 30-90 days, especially in the winter when the heating system works overtime.

There’s Not Enough Insulation in Your Home

Your problem: Inadequate home insulation allows heat to escape, especially from rooms nearest to outside walls or the attic. This makes certain rooms more difficult to heat, even when the rest of the home is nice and comfortable.

How to fix it: Update your attic insulation to prevent heat from leaving your home. If the material currently insulating your home is in good shape, you may be able to simply layer additional insulation right on top of it.

Cold Air Is Getting in Through Doors and Windows

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

How to fix it: Avoid drafts in and around doors and windows with insulation strips or caulk. Heavy-duty curtains and thermal blinds also help block out the cold. When these simple fixes aren’t enough to prevent cold spots in your home, consider replacing your windows and exterior doors.

There’s a Leak in Your Air Ducts

Your problem: Ductwork transports heated air to your entire home. If an air duct has 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 often be sealed with duct tape or mastic sealant. In more severe cases, you may need duct replacement.

You Need to Move Your Thermostat

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

How to fix it: If your thermostat is near a cold window or heat-generating appliance, you may want to move it to another area of your home. An HVAC specialist from Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help you move it to a better place where it can more accurately read your home’s average temperature. For extra convenience, choose a smart thermostat, which allows for remote temperature control and personalized heating schedules.

Your Furnace Is the Wrong Size

Your problem: A furnace that’s too small may struggle to heat all of your home, making some areas colder than others. On the other hand, a furnace that’s too big often turns on and off continuously, causing temperature fluctuations and increased wear and tear that can shorten the lifetime of your HVAC system.

How to fix it: Have a heating and cooling specialist assess the size and capacity of the furnace in your home compared to your home’s square footage, the climate where you live, the home’s insulation levels, windows and other factors. If your furnace is oversized or underpowered, consider upgrading to the right size for better heating performance and energy efficiency.

Heating Challenges of Multilevel Homes

Your problem: Heat rises, which means the second floor of your home is sometimes heated while the main floor is cool.

How to fix it: Zoning your heating system is a way for you to control the temperature in different areas with separate thermostats and ductwork valves. This way, you can direct warm air where you need it.

Your Furnace Needs a Tune-Up From a Pro

Your problem: Like any machine, your furnace needs regular maintenance to operate smoothly. Without routine care, your HVAC system may develop issues that lower energy efficiency and stop 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 begins. Regular maintenance also helps identify and fix problems before they lead to potentially costly performance issues or total breakdowns.

Trust Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for Furnace Services in the U.S.

No one likes to spend time in a ice-cold 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 correctly. Our ACE-certified technicians provide quick, dependable 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.