Living in Florida, we rely on our air conditioning systems to keep us cool and comfortable year round. So having that one room that is hotter than the others can be annoying, inconvenient…and hot.
You know the room we are talking about as soon as you read the title. It seems as if one room always feels hotter than the rest of the house.
For some people, it’s your bedroom. For others, it’s the bonus room. Almost all of us have that one stubborn room that won’t get on board with the rest of the house!
5 Reasons Why One Room Is so Hot Compared to Rest of House
What causes one room to be hotter than the others? What can you do about it? There are many causes for this common problem, and we know what to do about it.
Temperature inconsistencies can occur for a variety of reasons, but they could also be an indicator of an underlying issue with your air conditioning system.
Here are some of the main reasons why one room is hotter than the rest.
1. Ductwork Problems
Air ducts have an important job to do. After all, air ducts are responsible for transporting cool and conditioned air throughout the rooms of your home.
When some parts of your home are hotter than others, look at your ductwork.
A clogged or blocked duct can impede airflow, causing warm spots in certain areas of your home. No matter the reason why, if there isn’t enough air coming out of the vents then it doesn’t matter how cold it is because you’ll never feel it.
Similarly, a tear in the ductwork can cause the same inefficient cooling.
Are your ducts insulated? Even ducts that are labeled as “insulated” need exterior insulation wrapped around the boots. Ductwork needs to be insulated because heat transfer can warm the ducts fairly quickly, which affects the temperature of the air traveling through it. If exterior air is warming unprotected ducts, the air will get warmer as it travels past the exposed area. This can make the room on the receiving end of the conditioned air hotter than rooms that are supplied by insulated ducts. This could be your problem if you feel a strong volume of air flowing through the vent, but the air isn’t as cool as other rooms.
Another common duct problem that causes a room to be hotter than the rest of the house is leaking. While you’re taking a look to see if your ducts are insulated, we also recommend investigating joints for leaks. This could be the problem if you notice the air coming out of the vent is cool, but there doesn’t seem to be enough air coming out.
If you suspect a ductwork issue is causing rooms in your home to be hot, call a professional HVAC technician.
2. Clogged Air Filter
The air filter is one of the most important components of your air conditioning system, yet it’s often overlooked.
Air filters help block harmful pollutants from infiltrating the air in your home, while also providing efficient cooling.
When the air filter isn’t regularly changed, your air conditioning system has to work in overdrive to provide the same amount of comfort. If it can’t keep up, you may experience cold spots or hot spots throughout your home.
3. Undersized Air Conditioner
If your air conditioning system wasn’t installed by an experienced HVAC professional, it’s possible that your AC system is too small for your home.
If this is the case, it could be the reason why your home is suffering from temperature inconsistencies.
Not all homes are created equal and each will have different needs when it comes to heating and cooling. If the system is too small, it won’t be able to effectively cool your home and could create hot spots.
4. AC Balancing Problem
Your air conditioner requires the perfect mix of fan speed, air volume, and air pressure in its system to function properly.
It’s possible that your air conditioner wasn’t set up with the proper fan speed. Sometimes debris in the ducts can knock into the fan during regular use, and unbalance it as well.
To solve this, an HVAC professional will do something called an air diagnostic. It involves using tools to measure the pressure, temperature, and humidity at each supply and return grille.
Air balancing is what you call the actual work performed to increase or decrease the airflow. You can even address temperature problems in specific rooms through air balancing.
The results from the tools are compiled into a report that tells the technician how well your system is functioning. The information will allow them to repair and balance the ductwork for the best system performance.
The end result of properly balanced ductwork is having rooms that are the same temperature and humidity across your entire home.
5. Oversized AC Unit
Sometimes we think more is better, but that’s not always the case.
With HVAC systems, it’s important to pick the right size for your home, not the biggest air conditioning unit you can afford. Buying a bigger air conditioning unit doesn’t give you any benefit over a smaller, properly sized model.
If your AC is too large, it will run in short bursts leading to only a few rooms being cool while others will be warm.
An air conditioner that is too large runs frequent, short cycles of 8 to 10 minutes. The system will quickly cool the location of the thermostat (especially if it’s fairly close to your unit, and the hot room is further away), causing the system to shut off without having run long enough to cool the furthest rooms in the house.
A properly functioning air conditioner should cycle for at least 20 minutes.
Another side effect of an oversized air conditioner is that your house will not be dehumidified. Your air conditioner needs to run for a consistent cycle of 20-30 minutes in order to dehumidify the air. If the AC is only running for a few minutes at a time, it’s not running long enough to remove the water from the air.
What Can I Do About One Room Being Hotter than the Rest of my Home?
There are many causes for one room to be hotter than the other, and it can be difficult to diagnose the reason why by yourself.
The best thing to do is to consult a licensed HVAC professional. They can help you diagnose the root cause of your inconsistent temperature problem.
If the issue surrounds uninsulated vents, depending on how easy the ductwork is to access you could potentially do the work yourself.
You can repair a leak yourself using a special metallic foil tape that’s made for repairing ductwork if you can locate the source.
You’ll need to call a professional if you have clogged vents, a balancing problem, or an oversized AC system.
Call Colman Heating & Air to Schedule an HVAC Inspection for Even Temperatures
In the scorching heat of summer, it is so important to stay cool. Having a room that stays hot consistently isn’t only uncomfortable, it can cause your energy bills to skyrocket up.
If you have any questions or want more information about this, call us to learn more. We have a friendly team of HVAC professionals here to help you at Colman Air. They’re ready to help you finally diagnose and resolve the root cause of your inconsistent room temperatures.
Ready to have work done on your air conditioner? Schedule service online and we will have your air conditioner fixed in no time!
Call Colman Heating & Air Conditioning at (321) 269-4565.
