Nine Ways to Fix a House That’s Not Heating Evenly

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

Something’s Blocking Your Home’s Vents

Your problem: Your furnace circulates heated air throughout your home in vent and return registers. If these are blocked or covered up, the restricted airflow creates hot and cold zones in your home.

How to fix it: Make sure all the vents are open, especially if some rooms feel like they aren’t getting enough warmth. Then, check to make sure there aren’t any decor, carpets or drapes hindering airflow. If a room is too hot, make sure the vents in the other rooms are open and feel like they are putting out the same amount of air. If a register is open but not a lot of air is flowing from it, there may be a problem with a damper or the duct isn’t forcing 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 so that your air is clean. However, a blocked filter filled with these particles can drastically lower airflow, making your heating system work harder and resulting in uneven heating. If warm air can’t get through easily, rooms farther from the furnace or other heating system can be colder.

How to fix it: Check and swap out the furnace’s air filter every 30-90 days, especially in the winter when your heating system operates often.

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 some rooms challenging to keep as warm as you’d like, even when the rest of the home seems comfortable.

How to fix it: Enhance your attic insulation to stop heat from escaping from your home. If the insulation in your home now 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 a common culprit for letting cold air into your home, cooling the indoor temperature. This problem is most often seen in older homes, which frequently have windows and doors that don’t fit as snug as they used to.

How to fix it: Prevent drafts in and around doors and windows by installing insulation strips or caulk. Heavy-duty curtains and thermal blinds also help prevent cold air from getting in your home. If you find that 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 delivers heated air throughout your home. If there’s a hole, warmth can leak out of the ducts 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 cracks, which can often be sealed with duct tape or mastic sealant. In more severe cases, you may need to replace the ducts.

You Need to Move Your Thermostat

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

How to fix it: If your thermostat is near a cold window or energy-producing appliance, think about relocating it. An HVAC specialist from Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help you move it to an area more representative of your home’s actual temperature where it can more accurately gauge your home’s average temperature. For extra convenience, opt for a smart thermostat, which gives you remote temperature control and programmable 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 cycles on and off constantly, causing temperature fluctuations and higher wear and tear that can shorten the lifetime of your heating and air system.

How to fix it: Have a heating and cooling specialist assess your home’s furnace size compared to your home’s square footage, the climate where you live, the home’s R-value, windows and other factors. If your furnace is mismatched, you may opt for upgrading to the right size for better heating performance and energy efficiency.

Heating Challenges of Multilevel Homes

Your problem: Heat rises, which is why the second floor of your home is often warm while the main floor is colder.

How to fix it: Zoning your heating system allows you to control the temperature in different areas using independent thermostats and ductwork dampers. This way, you can send warm air exactly where you need it.

It’s Time for Routine HVAC Maintenance

Your problem: Like any system with moving parts, your furnace needs regular tune-ups to work smoothly. If you neglect to do 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—if possible in the fall before the heating season kicks off. Regular maintenance also helps detect and fix problems before they grow into potentially costly performance issues or catastrophic breakdowns.

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

No one likes to spend time in a 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 properly. Our ACE-certified technicians provide efficient, reliable solutions to all your comfort needs backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Don’t let another cold spot ruin your comfort—call 866-397-3787 today to schedule the U.S. furnace services with the Experts at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing.