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

Are some rooms in your home colder than others? Heating unevenly happens when some rooms feel comfortably warm while others are significantly chillier. Several causes could be to blame for this home comfort challenge. Here, we’ll help you learn what could be triggering these temperature imbalances and show you how to fix the issue.

Something’s Blocking Your Home’s Vents

Your problem: Your furnace distributes warm air throughout your home using air and return registers. If these are blocked or shut, the restricted airflow creates hot and cold spots in your home.

How to fix it: Make sure all the vents are clear of obstructions, 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 hindering airflow. If a room is too warm, make sure the vents in the other rooms are open and feel like they are putting out a similar amount of air. If a register is clear but not a lot of air is coming out, there may be a problem with a control mechanism or the duct isn’t forcing the air to the right place.

A Clogged Air Filter Is Straining Your HVAC System

Your problem: Your furnace air filter collects and removes dust, pollen and other airborne particles to keep your air clean. But a dirty filter filled with these particles can drastically lower airflow, making your furnace work harder and causing uneven heating. If warm air can’t get through easily, rooms farther from the heat source will be colder.

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

There’s Not Enough Insulation in Your Home

Your problem: Inadequate home insulation allows heat to seep out of your home, especially from rooms exposed to outside walls or your attic. This makes certain rooms challenging to heat, even when the rest of the home seems comfortable.

How to fix it: Enhance your attic insulation to keep heat from leaving your home. If the insulation in your home now is in good shape, you may be able to simply add more on top of it.

Cold Air Is Getting in Through Doors and Windows

Your problem: Single-pane windows and old, drafty doors are often to blame for letting cold air into your home, putting a chill on the indoor temperature. This problem is most common in older homes, which frequently have windows and doors that don’t fit as snug as they need to.

How to fix it: Stop drafts in and around doors and windows by installing weatherstripping or caulk. Thermal curtains and thermal blinds also help block out the cold. 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 carries heated air to your entire home. If an air duct has a hole, warm air 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 duct tape or mastic sealant. In more severe cases, you may need air duct repair.

Your Thermostat Is in a Bad Spot

Your problem: The thermostat regulates the heating system throughout your home. If it’s in a drafty or unusually hot spot, it may give misleading 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 an area more representative of your home’s actual temperature where it can more accurately gauge your home’s average temperature. For extra convenience, choose a smart thermostat, which gives you remote temperature control and programmable heating schedules.

You Need a Different Size of Furnace

Your problem: A furnace that’s too small may struggle to heat all of your residence, leaving some areas colder than others. On the other hand, an oversized furnace 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 the size and capacity of the furnace in your home 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, consider upgrading to the right size for better heating performance and energy efficiency.

Heat Only Reaches Some Floors of Your Home

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

How to fix it: Zoning your heating system allows you to control the temperature in different parts of your home using separate thermostats and ductwork valves. This way, you can send warm air where you want.

It’s Time for Routine HVAC Maintenance

Your problem: Like any appliance, your furnace needs regular maintenance to work smoothly. Without 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 spot and fix issues before they lead to 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 properly. Our ACE-certified technicians provide fast, reliable solutions to all your comfort needs backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Don’t let a stubbornly cold room get you down—call 866-397-3787 today to schedule the U.S. furnace services with the Experts at Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing.