Inconsistent heating and cooling is no fun at all. Maybe some rooms in your home feel fine, while others are unbearably hot or cold. Perhaps your home is only the right temperature some of the time. Maybe you feel like you’re always running your HVAC system with no discernible result. No matter why your Columbia, Maryland, home’s system is inconsistent, you don’t have to live with the inconvenience. Solutions exist that will get you feeling comfortable again.
Your System Is the Wrong Size
When we install new HVAC systems, we measure how much heating and cooling capacity your home will need. That lets us put in the right size system. If your AC is too big, for example, then it’ll cool down your house too fast to get rid of all the humidity. You’ll be the right temperature, but the air in your home will feel clammy. If your AC is too small, you’ll run it forever and still feel hot. Pay attention during the hottest summer days to how your HVAC system makes you feel. Columbia certainly has humid enough summers to help you figure this out.
The best way to fix this problem is to have our technicians over. We can spot a sizing issue and give you tips on how to fix it. You’ll probably need a new system, because there isn’t a lot you can do with something the wrong size.
Your Home Has Bad Insulation
When one room, or one wing of the house, is too hot in summer and too cold in winter, it might be an insulation problem. Your roof insulation could be thin, your walls could be lacking insulation, or your windows and doors could be leaking. You’ll have to do a bit of investigating to figure it out, so try sealing up the windows and doors first. If that doesn’t help, try adding blackout curtains to the windows to trap the air inside.
You’ve Got Vent Obstructions
Your furniture might be too close to some of your supply or return vents. Some homes have vents near the baseboards instead of on the upper walls or the ceilings. Unfortunately, that means you might need to rearrange your furniture a bit if you’re blocking one of those important vents. Cold or warm air is blowing into your home, but the furniture keeps it from dispersing correctly. Give them at least a foot of space.
Your Ducts Are Damaged
The treated air might not be reaching every room of your home thanks to duct damage. Collapsed ducts, duct holes, or extremely dirty ducts might be contributing to an airflow problem. Check the ducts you can see from outside. Even if you don’t find a problem, give us a call. We can send cameras through your ducts to inspect the parts you can’t see.
If a section is damaged enough to significantly impair airflow, we can replace that section without redoing the whole system. But if the ducts were installed poorly, we recommend having them redone entirely to improve your indoor comfort and your IAQ.
You Need a New System
We saved the worst for last. Sometimes, your heat and cooling is inconsistent because your system is at the end of its life. If it’s older than 10-15 years and has only had sporadic maintenance, it probably needs to be replaced. Systems can last longer with good maintenance, of course, but eventually, they all start to fail. One of the first signs is weaker heating and cooling power. Another benefit of getting regular maintenance? We can warn you when your system is about to go, so you don’t end up with a heater that quits in the middle of winter, or a broken AC during July.
You don’t have to deal with this alone. Griffith Energy Services is on your side to figure out why your home’s temperature is so inconsistent. Have one of our techs over, so we can figure out why you’ve got hot and cold spots throughout your home. Give us a call today at 888-474-3391.
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