When the chilly winter weather arrives in the Modesto, CA area, it becomes very important to keep your home nice and warm. However, numerous homeowners experience the issue of uneven temperatures around their houses, causing certain areas to be significantly warmer or colder than others. Not only is this frustrating due to its effect on your comfort, but it can also lead to more expensive monthly heating bills. This is because you may put additional strain on your heating system by attempting to compensate for the uneven climate. The good news is that there are several simple steps you can take to either prevent or correct hot and cold spots in your home. Here, we’ll take a look at a few of the most effective tips to combat uneven temperatures.
1. Adjust Your Thermostat
Keeping your thermostat optimized can often help you prevent uneven temperatures in your home. If your thermostat does not accurately represent the climate of your house, either due to sub-optimal placement or a need to be calibrated, it can lead to hot and cold spots. Ideally, your thermostat should be located in a central area of your home. It should also be located somewhere with a relatively neutral temperature, away from direct sunlight, windows, and heat sources. This will ensure that it reflects the real temperature of your dwelling at all times.
If you have an older thermostat, you should also consider investing in a more modern unit. Smart thermostats, which give you programming capabilities as well as remote access and other benefits, make it much easier to control the climate of your home and maximize your energy efficiency. For example, many smart thermostats allow you to set the climate in each individual area of your house, which is an excellent way to reduce uneven temperatures.
2. Schedule a Furnace Tune-Up
Whether you’re looking to prevent uneven heating or correct it, scheduling furnace maintenance is an effective option. If possible, you should have your heating system professionally serviced at least once each year. This service is essential for maintaining the performance, energy efficiency, and overall health of your heater.
When a furnace hasn’t been properly maintained, it may start to have trouble consistently circulating heat around the house. This can lead to some parts of your home receiving more warm air than others, which is a direct cause of uneven temperatures. After a thorough tune-up performed by our technicians at Loves Air, your furnace will be operating at peak performance. Plus, you’ll start saving money on your monthly heating costs, and you’ll be far less likely to experience heating malfunctions or breakdowns.
3. Have Your Ductwork Cleaned
The air ducts are the unsung hero of your home’s HVAC system, as they’re quietly responsible for transporting all of the heat from your furnace to the different rooms of the house. But over time, various contaminants can accumulate inside the ducts, including dust, dirt, pet dander, mold, and even pest droppings. In addition to worsening the air quality inside your home, this debris can partially block the airflow of your HVAC system. If some sections of your ductwork are particularly dirty, it may prevent certain parts of your home from receiving enough heat to be comfortable. Alternatively, if any leaks have developed in your air ducts, they can allow hot air to escape while your furnace cycles. Both of these issues are common contributors to hot and cold spots in California homes.
Ideally, you should have your home’s ductwork professionally cleaned once every two or three years. During this service, your hired ductwork professionals can thoroughly clean the ducts and inspect them for any leaks or other damage. If they need repairs or duct sealing service to patch gaps and holes, a team like the experts at Loves Air can take care of it.
4. Find and Seal Air Leaks in Your Home
Whether you’re aware of them or not, it’s possible that your home is currently harboring multiple air leaks. These gaps, which usually form around the edges of windows and doorways, allow quite a bit of heat to escape the house during the winter months. This causes certain parts of the dwelling to be much colder than others. It also puts unnecessary strain on your heating system, which can worsen its efficiency and shorten its life expectancy.
When the temperature starts to drop in your area, it’s a good time to inspect your house for any leaks. Carefully search the areas around all of your doorways and windows. Some leaks will be too small to see, but if they’re present, you should feel air moving when you feel around the area with your hand. Remember that even a tiny opening can impact the comfort and efficiency of your home. Typically, you’ll be able to close up any air leaks you find with caulking and weather stripping from your local hardware store.
5. Replace Your Furnace Air Filter
Has it been several months since you last replaced your furnace’s air filter? If you wait too long to swap in a new filter, the old, dirty filter may start to negatively affect the unit’s performance. The air filter has the vital job of trapping airborne contaminants, which helps to keep your indoor air clean and your furnace running smoothly. However, once the filter has become clogged with dust and other debris, it will be harder for the heating system to pull air through. As a result, the furnace won’t be able to circulate air as effectively, which can cause uneven heating around your home.
Depending on which type of air filter your furnace uses, you’ll generally want to replace it every two or three months. This will go a long way toward maintaining a consistent climate in your home and maximizing the performance of your heater.
6. Clean Your Air Vents
Once the warm air from your furnace has moved through your ductwork, it must pass through the air vents located around your living space. Just like the air ducts, though, these vents tend to collect contaminants over time. If one of your home’s air vents becomes packed with dust and dirt, the airflow to that part of the house will be partially or completely blocked. To completely prevent uneven heating in your home, you need to ensure that all of your vents are clean and unobstructed at all times.
It’s typically a good idea to clean your air vents once every few months, and the start of the winter is an excellent time to get it done. You’ll need a screwdriver to remove the protective cover from each vent. After that, you can use a vacuum cleaner with an extension hose to remove whatever contaminants have accumulated inside.
Heating Professionals You Can Trust in Modesto
At Loves Air, we’ve been proudly bringing top-rated home solutions to residents of the greater Modesto area for decades. Our expert team offers high-quality heating and air conditioning services, but that isn’t all. We’re also available to handle all of your needs in the areas of duct sealing, solar energy, windows, and water heaters. Our skilled professionals will treat you with respect and compassion as they guide you through every step of the process.
Contact us at Loves Air today if you’d like to schedule an appointment or learn more!
