If you discover that you have hot and cold spots in your Alliance home, you’re not alone. This is a relatively normal problem. While it might seem like a larger issue, the good news is that the common causes of hot and cold spots are normally easy to fix with a simple air conditioning service. The most likely causes for hot and cold spots are:
- Zero zoning or improper zoning
- Poorly designed or ineffectively sized duct systems
- Leaky or inefficiently insulated air ducts
- Improperly sized HVAC equipment
Lack of Zoning or Improper Zoning
A zoning system divides your home into separate areas, known as “zones,” and allows you to determine the air temperature in each zone. The system is composed of multiple thermostats that operate dampers in the ductwork of your forced-air system. The thermostats are working nonstop, reading the temperature of their assigned zone, then open or close the dampers to meet the thermostat's settings. This may be the key to keeping that one freezing bedroom warm in the winter, or that heat chamber sunroom comfortable all summer. Plus, when it’s used with a programmable thermostat, zoning may mean home energy savings of up to 35 percent.*
Poorly Designed or Ineffectively Sized Duct Systems
Some homeowners have hot and cold spots simply because their home’s duct system is not sized appropriately for the space that needs heated and cooled, or it’s designed the wrong way. We find this is especially commonplace in homes that were built before much of today’s tools and training were used. Unfortunately, even the most energy-efficient HVAC equipment can’t match homeowners’ expectations if the duct system isn’t allowing it to do its job. In fact, a shoddy duct system could actually cause new equipment to work more often than necessary and shorten its life cycle. The pros at Jack's Heating, Cooling, Stoves & Fireplaces 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 might still be at the root of your home’s hot and cold spots. It’s normal for the ducts in a home to leak a bit over time. Pros like Jack's Heating, Cooling, Stoves & Fireplaces can check your ducts and let you know if they should be sealed. They might also find that your ducts aren’t leaking, but they’re not adequately insulated. Fortunately, this is also a pretty routine 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 through your home. Improperly sized HVAC equipment could be the culprit. A system that is too small has to run 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 mean problems because it’ll cycle on and off too often to do its job properly.
No matter what’s the cause of the hot and cold spots in your home, Jack's Heating, Cooling, Stoves & Fireplaces can help. Just give us a call at 308-321-4703 and we’ll help you decide what the issue is and figure out if you need air conditioning service, or any other types of HVAC service that will help you keep your home comfortable.
*Source: U.S. Department of Energy statistics