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Air Balancing: What You Can Do to Improve Your Home's Temperature
Admin • July 20, 2019
If you own an HVAC system, one concept you should understand is air balancing. Air balancing will help improve your efficiency and positively impact the performance of your heating and cooling system. The process of air balancing helps to deliver the correct amount of hot or cold air to every room to increase comfort levels.
An HVAC technician will test and adjust the system by looking at the intake and output of the system. However, there are some things you can do to balance the air in your home, including the following.
Open or Close the Register
This is one of the easiest ways to balance the air in your home. The process restricts the air flow in a room. Be sure to not close the vents completely, or you could create other problems for the system. This process is especially helpful to homes with more than one level.
When the weather is hot, open the registers on the top floor. Partially close the registers on the lower level or in the basement. When the weather is cold, do the opposite procedure. Hot air rises, so taking these steps will help better circulate the air throughout the home and keep every room comfortable.
Cover the Windows
Another way to balance the air in the home is through window coverings. The windows in a house have a significant impact on the comfort levels of the interior temperature. If your windows do not have drapes or shades, your room temperature will quickly increase during the summer. In winter, the cold air can penetrate through the windows, making the air near them colder.
Move Electronics Away From the Thermostat
Electronic equipment gets very hot. When you have many electronics running at one time in a room, it can heat the temperature rapidly. To help balance the air in these rooms, be sure to locate your electronics away from the thermostat. If you place hot electronics near a thermostat, the thermostat will read the temperature nearest to it and will cycle accordingly.
If you do not adjust accordingly, the result will be one room with warmer air while the others are much colder in the summer. In the winter, the other rooms will also be affected while the room containing the electronics and thermostat will maintain a comfortable temperature. This results in your system working harder and increased energy bills.
Try to keep your entertainment center, computer desk, large-screen televisions, and the like on a wall opposite of your thermostat. This will help better distribute the heat in a room and help reduce the additional cycling of your air conditioner.
Remove Obstacles From the Airways
When you arrange furniture in a room, be sure to keep it away from any air vents on the floor or walls. If you block the vents, the system cannot effectively cool or heat the room.
If you are unable to open the flow of air, purchase a magnetic air deflector. The deflector will help blow the air away from the obstacle and help improve the air circulation in the room.
Leave the Fan Setting On
Check your thermostat for its fan options. Most thermostat models have an on and auto setting. When you leave the fan on, the air will continually blow and replace the indoor air. This will help balance the air better than if you leave it on the auto setting.
Taking these steps can increase the comfort level in your home's temperature. If you have taken these steps and do not notice an improvement, please call I.C.E. Heating & Cooling. We will be happy to evaluate your system and get it in working order.
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Fredericksburg, VA, and the surrounding area can get hot and humid in the summer. In order to stay comfortable in your home during the hottest and most humid months of the year, you might need to run your air conditioner all day and night. Since much warmer temperatures are right around the corner, you need to make sure your air conditioner runs at optimum capacity. If the AC does not work properly, this could be due to a number of reasons. Some problems will require air conditioning repair, but other situations may call for a complete replacement. Knowing when to either make repairs to your air conditioner or replace it is often a difficult decision. To help you with this, here are five things you should know about AC replacement. 1. Know How Long Air Conditioners Last One of the first things to figure out is how long you have had your air conditioner. If your AC unit is older, a replacement is likely necessary. Most air conditioners last between 10 and 15 years . Not only do older air conditioners require frequent repairs, but also they are not as energy-efficient, which are the main reasons to replace your old one. Another reason to replace it sooner rather than later is that not having reliable AC in the hot and humid weather could be detrimental to your health. 2. Know the Signs for AC Replacement Besides knowing how old your air conditioner is, other telltale signs that AC replacement might be near include: It makes strange sounds. It does not blow out cold air right away or any air at all. It blows out foul-smelling air or has a burning smell. If you notice leakage around your unit, the refrigerant likely has a leak. Refrigerant contains Freon, which is considered a toxic substance. Exposure to refrigerant can cause health issues, such as respiratory problems, dizziness, headaches, and even organ damage. 3. Know the Cost of AC Replacement Like most home appliances, air conditioners vary in cost, which usually depends on the brand, size, and type of unit. If you replace your central air conditioning system, the price could cost anywhere between $3,350 and $5,912. The national average is $4,631. If you simply replace your window unit, the price could be as little as $234. A brand-new ductless mini split air conditioner ranges in price from $660 to $4,500. 4. Know How a New AC Unit Can Help You Save Money Even though you may have to pay a lot of money upfront when you replace your air conditioner, a new one will save you money in the long run. This is especially true if you get a new air conditioner with a higher Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating than the one you currently have. Depending on the SEER rating of your old air conditioner compared the new one, you have a huge potential to use less electricity and reduce your energy bill. In some instances, new energy-efficient air conditioners can save you up to $300 a year on energy costs. To save the most amount of money possible, make sure you get the right size air conditioner for your home. Additionally, if you install a new central air conditioner, a programmable thermostat can also help you save money. 5. Know Who to Contact about AC Replacement If you need to replace your air conditioner, call the professionals at I.C.E. Heating & Cooling, L.L.C. Along with air conditioning repair, our HVAC company can help you with all of your air conditioning needs, including installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting. We are also always happy to answer your questions about your AC needs as well.
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