Cold Rooms? Nine Ways to Fix a Home That’s Heating Unevenly

Does your furnace struggle to heat your entire home evenly? Heating unevenly happens when some rooms feel nice and cozy while others are noticeably cooler. Several reasons could be to blame for this heating problem. Here, we’ll help you learn what could be causing these temperature imbalances and show you how to fix the problem.

Closed or Blocked Vents

Your problem: Your furnace moves heated air throughout your home in vent and return registers. If these are closed or shut, the restricted air circulation creates warm and cold zones in your home.

How to fix it: Confirm that all your home’s vents are open, especially if certain rooms feel like they aren’t getting enough warm air. Then, check to make sure there aren’t any decor, mats or drapes obstructing airflow. If a room is too hot, make sure the registers in the other rooms are clear and feel like they are putting out a similar amount of air. If a register is unobstructed but not a lot of air is coming out, there may be a problem with a valve or the duct isn’t routing 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 to keep your air clean. However, a clogged filter filled with these particles can severely restrict airflow, making your heating system work harder and causing uneven heating. If warm air can’t get through easily, rooms farther from the system can be colder.

How to fix it: Look over and swap out the air filter every 30-90 days, especially in the winter when your heating system runs a lot.

There’s Not Enough Insulation in Your Home

Your problem: Inadequate home insulation lets warm air escape, especially from rooms exposed to outside walls or your attic. This makes some rooms harder to keep as warm as you’d like, even when the rest of the home is nice and comfortable.

How to fix it: Update your attic insulation to stop heat from rising out of your home. If your existing insulation 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, leaky 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 commonly have windows and doors that don’t seal as snug as they should.

How to fix it: Avoid drafts in and around doors and windows with sealing tape or caulk. Insulated curtains and thermal blinds also help prevent cold air from getting in your home. However, if these simple fixes aren’t enough to prevent cold spots in your home, you may want to think about replacing your windows and exterior doors.

There’s a Leak in Your Air Ducts

Your problem: Ductwork carries heated air to all the rooms in your home. If an air duct has a hole, warmth can escape before it gets to some rooms of your home.

How to fix it: Hire an HVAC professional like one of our team members at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to inspect your ductwork for breaks, which can often be sealed with metal tape or mastic sealant. In more severe cases, you may need duct replacement.

Your Thermostat Is in a Bad Spot

Your problem: The thermostat regulates the heating system in your home. If it’s in a cold or unusually warm spot, it may give inaccurate readings, causing your HVAC system to run at the wrong times—and lead to uneven temperatures.

How to fix it: If your thermostat is near a windy window or heat-generating appliance, you may want to move it to another area of your home. An HVAC professional from Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help you move it to a more central location where it can more accurately measure your home’s average temperature. For extra convenience, consider a smart thermostat, which allows for remote temperature control and programmable heating schedules.

You Need a Different Size of Furnace

Your problem: A furnace that’s too small may have difficulty heating all of your home, leaving some areas colder than others. On the other end of the spectrum, a furnace that’s too big often runs frequently, resulting in temperature fluctuations and excessive wear and tear that can shorten the lifetime of your HVAC system.

How to fix it: Have a heating and cooling specialist assess your home’s furnace size compared to your home’s size, the climate where you live, the home’s R-value, windows and other factors. If your furnace is too small or large, think about upgrading to the right size for better heating performance and energy efficiency.

Heat Only Reaches Some Floors of Your Home

Your problem: Heat rises, so the second floor of your home is sometimes heated while the main floor is cool.

How to fix it: Zoning your heating system is a way for you to control the temperature in different areas using independent thermostats and ductwork valves. This way, you can redirect warm air where you want.

You Need to Schedule Regular HVAC Maintenance

Your problem: Like any machine, your furnace needs regular tune-ups to function smoothly. If you neglect to do routine care, your HVAC system may experience issues that reduce efficiency and prevent 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 starts. Regular maintenance also helps identify and fix problems before they become potentially costly performance issues or major breakdowns.

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

No one likes spending time in a cold room. If you aren’t able to fix this yourself, count on Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing to get the job done right. Our ACE-certified technicians provide fast, dependable 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.