HVAC Airflow Problems

5 Reasons Your HVAC Airflow is Lackluster

Are there hot and cold spots around your house? Does closing one door seem to pull another one in a different room shut from air pressure issues? Is the air from your vents too warm? Is there too little air to tell?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you probably have an HVAC airflow problem. While there are numerous reasons this can occur, Alco Air will give you the top five most common causes for uneven airflow. It is important to identify the cause and seek its resolution, because these problems could even in result in the failure of the entire system, if left to fester.

1. Filter is Clogged

Changing your air filter is such a small task that is easily overlooked. However, the effects of ignoring it are not so small. If you haven’t changed your filter recently, it is probably clogged with all sorts of small particles, hair, dust, dander, possibly some mold spores and pollen. Changing the filter will allow air to flow through your vents easier and more efficiently, saving you money and improving your home’s indoor air quality.

Change your filter and voilà, better heating and cooling!

2. Coils Need To Be Cleaned

A coil can’t literally suffocate, of course, but if your system hasn’t been cleaned in quite some time, your hvac system’s coils may disagree with you. Too much dirt accumulation can prevent both your system’s evaporator and condenser coils, from doing their job. If your air conditioning is troubled, dirty coils could be the culprit! Regular AC maintenance can effectively prevent this scenario, so if you think a dirty system is to blame, call your trusted hvac provider for your seasonal tune-up.

3. Ducts are Defective or Blocked

Gentle deposits of fluff sound great when it’s a snow day, but if we’re talking about the accumulation of dust in your ducts, it is pretty gross. You never know what the buildup could look like.

However, a more common issue than dust build up is leaky ductwork. Leaky ductwork and the uncomfortable effects, can be the result of numerous points of failure in your ductwork including:

• Old or deteriorating ducts and materials..
• Improper installation.
• Damage from pests.
• Unlicensed repairs or shortcuts

Both the blockage and structural problems should be diagnosed and resolved by a licensed HVAC professional.

4. Vents are Blocked

That new piece of furniture might look great in that very particular area of the room, but it is blocking a vent? Or is a member of the household closing the vent by their bed at night because they don’t like the air blowing on them as they sleep? A small vent that is blocked can create a stuffy or chilly room very quickly.

Fortunately, this fix is very easy and just involves an inspection of the house and adjusting closed vents or moving furniture away from blocked vents.

5. HVAC Unit is too Large

An HVAC unit must be sized properly for the area it heats or cools. An oversized unit causes frequent cycling, which in turn causes problems like excess humidity, rapid, uncomfortable heating and premature failure.

If these problems are really bothering you, it might be time to have your system inspected.