While the temperatures outside are getting lower and lower, the last thing your family wants to deal with is having a home that feels like it’s not heated well. If your home has some rooms that are nice and toasty, while others require you to bundle up just to keep warm, you don’t just have to live with the situation. A number of issues could be causing this common heating problem. Read on to find out more.
Is there a problem with your ducts?
The ductwork in your home is the pathway for pushing conditioned air from your furnace out through the vents in your home. If the ducts haven’t been properly cleaned, they may contain built-up dirt, dust, and other contaminants. This buildup could prevent warm air from reaching the areas of your home that are furthest away from the furnace, such as bedrooms on an upper floor, leaving these areas feeling somewhat colder than other spaces. It’s recommended that you have your ducts cleaned and inspected by a professional every couple of years.
Additionally, you may have issues with damaged ducts. As time passes and a home settles and shifts, it’s not unheard of for ductwork to develop cracks, holes, tears, or other damage which may allow warm air from your furnace to seep out into the walls or floors of your home instead of being directed through your air vents and into your living space. Many times, this damage can go unnoticed since ducts aren’t usually easily visible. Again, it’s recommended to have your ducts inspected on a regular basis so that issues like these can get taken care of in a timely manner.
Do you have a dirty air filter?
The filter is responsible for trapping airborne contaminants from passing through your ducts and out through the vents in your home. It’s recommended that you replace your filter monthly, more often if you have pets in your home or individuals who smoke, as these things could cause the filter to get dirtier more quickly than usual.
When the filter is full of dirt, dust, pet hair, dander, and so on, it makes it nearly impossible for your home’s furnace to push warm and toasty air out and into your living space. This could cause areas of your home to feel cooler than normal. Also, a dirty air filter leads to extra strain on your furnace. In turn, this could lead to premature wear and tear on your heating system’s internal components. This may potentially lead to an expensive and unexpected breakdown.
Failure to swap your air filter out on a routine basis could also jeopardize your family’s indoor air quality, which is terrible news for anyone in your home who may suffer from respiratory issues, such as asthma.
Should you install a programmable thermostat?
Programmable thermostats, including “smart” models, make it easy to set different temperatures in your home automatically. In winter, you’re able to set the temperature to be several degrees cooler during the day when people are away at school or work. You can also program the thermostat to raise the temperature again before everyone will be back home in the evening. Many homeowners are surprised by the cost savings they see on their energy bills each month after they’ve installed a programmable thermostat!
Also, with many smart thermostats, a family may be able to set unique temperatures for different areas of their home if their heating system allows for it. This means that if you like your bedroom to be a little cooler at night, you can set the temperature for your room to be a few degrees cooler than the temperature in the rest of your home. You may be in complete control of your home’s comfort levels when you have a programmable thermostat!
What setting is your fan on?
On your thermostat, there’s a fan setting that can be “AUTO,” “ON,” or “OFF.” When you set your fan to the “ON” position, it will stay on and continue to circulate warm air throughout your home, even after your furnace has completed its heating cycle. This could help to solve issues in your home where some rooms feel cooler than others by helping to balance and regulate the inside temperature for your family.
Have you scheduled annual maintenance for your furnace?
One of the biggest culprits behind an unevenly warmed home could be an undetected issue with the furnace. As a homeowner, it’s important for you to schedule a yearly tune-up for your heating system. That’s when a skilled and experienced professional technician will inspect/clean all working components inside your furnace thoroughly and carefully.
He or she will be able to pinpoint potential problem areas early, before they result in a breakdown of your unit — or before your family runs into issues with unevenly heated rooms.
Sign up for the heating coverage you need!
At Oncourse Home Solutions, we offer both Heating Maintenance and Heating Repair plans to help your home stay warm and toasty this winter. Have questions about our coverage? Call us at any time. You could also chat with a customer service representative on our website by clicking the Click to Chat tab on the right side of the page.