If you find that you have hot and cold spots through your Bishop home, you’re not alone. This is a fairly regular problem. While it might seem like a major problem, the good news is that the common causes of hot and cold spots are typically easy to fix with a straightforward air conditioning service. The most common causes for hot and cold spots are:
- Lack of zoning or improper zoning
- Poorly designed or ineffectively sized duct systems
- Leaky or inefficiently insulated air ducts
- HVAC equipment that is too big or too small
Lack of Zoning or Improper Zoning
A zoning system breaks up your home into separate areas, known as “zones,” and allows you to set the air temperature in each zone. The system uses multiple thermostats that run dampers inside the ductwork of your forced-air system. The thermostats are working nonstop, reading the temperature of their assigned zone, then open or close the dampers according to the thermostat's settings. This may be the missing link to keeping that one freezing bedroom warm in the winter, or that hot box sunroom comfortable all summer. Plus, when you utilize it with a programmable thermostat, zoning may mean home energy savings of up to 35 percent.*
Poorly Designed or Ineffectively Sized Duct Systems
Some homeowners experience hot and cold spots simply because their home’s duct system isn’t sized correctly for the space that needs heated and cooled, or it’s designed the wrong way. We find this is especially normal in homes that were built before much of today’s tools and training were available. Unfortunately, even the most energy-efficient HVAC equipment can’t match homeowners’ expectations if the duct system isn’t allowing it to do its job. In fact, a bad duct system could actually cause new equipment to work harder than necessary and shorten its lifespan. The professionals at Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning can help you determine if your duct work is working for your home.
Leaky or Inadequately Insulated Air Ducts
Even if your duct system is designed and sized properly for your home, it could still be the source of your home’s hot and cold spots. It’s normal for the ducts in a home to become leaky over time. Pros like Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning can inspect your ducts and let you know if they need sealed. They may also find that your ducts aren’t leaking, but they’re not properly insulated. Fortunately, this is also a fairly simple fix.
Improperly Sized HVAC Equipment
So there’s a chance your air duct system is just fine and you have a good zoning system, but you’re still experiencing hot and cold spots through your home. Improperly sized HVAC equipment might be the cause. A system that is too small has to work harder to heat or cool your home, which leaves hot and cold spots because it can’t handle the amount of space it needs to condition. Even a system that’s too big can leave you with problems because it’ll cycle on and off too often to do its job well.
No matter what’s causing the hot and cold spots in your home, Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning can help. Just give us a call at 760-784-9034 and we’ll help you pinpoint the problem and figure out if you need air conditioning service, or any other types of HVAC service that can help you keep your home comfy.
*Source: U.S. Department of Energy statistics