Ways to Fix Uneven Cooling in Your Home

There are many factors that can contribute to uneven cooling in your home. The ductwork may need attention that requires sealing leaks or cleaning duct runs. Or, your A/C could just be getting old coupled with heat gain/loss due to your home’s orientation to the sun. Following are common reasons and solutions to help you fix cooling problems and help you save energy.

Duct Problems

The ducts are the lungs of your home — taking in warm air through return grilles and pushing cooled air out of supply vents. Here are some solutions to help your home’s lungs breathe easier.

• Leaks: Loose duct joints, damage and holes allow cooled air to escape before reaching the living spaces. Duct air leaks should be wrapped with metal duct tape.
• Insulation: Cool air quickly takes on heat through thin duct walls. Make sure the ducts located in the attic or basement are insulated.
• Sizing: If your ducts weren’t sized correctly, you’ll need to install a zoning system or retrofit the ducts.
• Dirty: Dirty vents and air ducts should be cleaned to allow free airflow and to improve indoor air quality.

A/C Issues

The central air system itself could be the problem for uneven cooling. If your A/C is more than 10 years old, consider upgrading. Room additions increase the cooling load of your home, and the extra load could be too much for your A/C. Installing a ductless mini split or upgrading to a larger A/C unit may be in order.

Sun-facing Rooms

Heat gain/loss occurs in every room, and in every room it’s different. Sun-facing rooms take on heat quicker than north-facing rooms. When coupled with other HVAC issues, such as leaky ducts, you are going to have substantial comfort problems.

Window treatments help curb heat gain/loss issues by slowing heat gain into sun-facing rooms. Installing awnings provide shade for sun-facing rooms and substantially reduce heat gain. A simpler method is to install window film and layered drapes, which also help with heat loss during the heating months.

For professional service to address uneven cooling in your Portland home, contact Roth Heating & Cooling.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Metro Portland, Oregon area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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