If you realize that you have hot and cold spots in your Cottonwood & Prescott home, you’re not alone. This is a pretty normal problem. While it may seem like a major problem, the good news is that the typical causes of hot and cold spots are usually easy to fix with a simple air conditioning service. The most common causes for hot and cold spots are:
- Zero zoning or improper zoning
- Poorly designed or ineffectively sized duct systems
- Leaky or inadequately insulated air ducts
- Improperly sized HVAC equipment
Lack of Zoning or Improper Zoning
A zoning system splits your home into separate areas, known as “zones,” and allows you to determine the air temperature in each zone. The system involves multiple thermostats that operate dampers in 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 could be the missing link to keeping that one frozen bedroom warm in the winter, or that smoldering sunroom comfortable all summer. Plus, when you use it with a programmable thermostat, zoning can 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 is the wrong size for the space that needs heated and cooled, or it’s improperly designed. We find this is pretty normal in homes that were built before many of today’s tools and training were around. Unfortunately, even the most energy-efficient HVAC equipment can’t meet homeowners’ expectations if the duct system isn’t permitting it to do its job. In fact, a poor duct system could actually cause new equipment to work harder than needed and decrease its life cycle. The pros at Connolly Electric & Mechanical can help you decide if your duct work is working for your home.
Leaky or Inadequately Insulated Air Ducts
Even if your duct system is properly designed and sized for your home, it might still be the cause of your home’s hot and cold spots. It’s common for the ducts in a home to leak a bit over time. Experts like Connolly Electric & Mechanical can check your ducts and let you know if they need sealed. They may also find that your ducts aren’t leaking, but they’re not correctly insulated. Fortunately, this is also a pretty easy 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 feeling hot and cold spots around your home. Improperly sized HVAC equipment may be the cause. A system that is too small has to run harder to heat or cool your home, leaving you with 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 the cause of the hot and cold spots in your home, Connolly Electric & Mechanical can help. Just give us a call at 928-251-4327 and we’ll help you pinpoint the problem and decide if you need air conditioning service, or any other types of HVAC service that will help you keep your home cozy.
*Source: U.S. Department of Energy statistics