Your Air Ducts May Be Unbalanced: Watch Out for These Signs

Air ducts in your home need to be balanced so temperatures can be accurately controlled and air circulates properly throughout the home. There are a few signs that indicate air ducts may be unbalanced in your home, and you should watch out for them to keep your HVAC system functioning optimally.

Signs of Unbalanced Air Ducts

Are you noticing any of the following happening in your home?

• Temperatures are uneven between rooms or even within individual rooms.
• Although registers are open, airflow isn’t constant between registers.
• Condensate is produced when the system is in cooling mode. If you notice any of these signs, contact an HVAC professional to have the HVAC system examined.

What Causes Unbalanced Air Ducts?

Below are a few explanations of HVAC scenarios that might lead to unbalanced air ducts.

• Air supply and return registers aren’t optimally located – Unbalanced air ducts can result from air supply and return registers that are located too closely together. The location of vents in relation to registers is also important for maintaining balanced air ducts. Improperly placed vents around registers can contribute to an unbalance.
• Using a single return air inlet – HVAC systems that rely on only one return air location are susceptible to becoming unbalanced. This can lead to unbalanced delivery of air into the different rooms of a building. This is especially the case when doors to individual rooms are shut, thus obstructing air movement.
• Obstructed airflow – Improper installations can restrict the flow of air in an HVAC system. Missing ceiling tiles and using ceiling space as a return plenum can cause contaminants like mold and fiberglass to obstruct airflow.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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