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Why My One Room Is Always Hotter Than The Others In The House

Is there a room in your house that is not as comfortably cool as the rest of your home? Dealing with temperature inconsistency is a concern San Diego homes have had at one point. There are several factors that cause uneven cooling, and in reality, it can happen to any home – newly constructed or fairly aged.

There are many possible reasons why rooms will not have the same level of coolness no matter the time of day. It can be frustrating for homeowners to keep on adjusting their thermostats when usually, the problem does not reside there at all. While thermostat setting or placement could be a factor, there are several other possible reasons why not all areas at home will have a uniform level of coolness. Below are some of the possible reasons, so that as a homeowner one will have an idea about the causes of temperature inconsistencies at home and how to deal with such an issue.

Read the article below to find out what is possibly causing uneven cooling in your home or get in touch with us at Reliable Standard Heating and Air to find out.

8 Reasons why one room is hotter than the whole house

There are several possible reasons why my air conditioner is not cooling the house. This is understandably frustrating, especially during the summer when everyone expects to feel cool and comfortable in their rooms or wherever they want to hang out at home.

1. Aging or damaged ductwork

The ductwork is the workhorse of the air conditioning system. If there are holes, perforations, or gaps, it can instantaneously cause uneven cooling and can also strain the AC system. When the ductwork is older than 12 years, it is time to upgrade it. Sometimes, pests like rodents, or critters like squirrels could take residence on it and cause damage.

There are also times when electricians, plumbers, or handymen accidentally cause damage to the ductwork. Once damage sets in, it could get bigger over time. Older ductwork is also more likely to get damaged.

If the duct leading to the hotter room is damaged, then the cooled air will leak out of the perforations. When this happens that room will not be as cool as the rest of the house. The best way to determine if this is the reason for uneven cooling is to seek a professional AC inspection. A certified AC technician can easily determine whether there are damages in the ductwork.

To prevent this issue from causing uneven coolness at home, then it is best to seek a professional AC inspection annually, and upgrade the ductwork once it had been in place for 10 years or more. 

2. The AC is too small for the property

Sometimes, the homeowner fails to purchase the correct air conditioning size for his house that not all areas are reached by the cool air. When this happens, areas that are farther from the AC system seem to be hotter and more humid. If an ac system is too small for the property, this could be causing your a/c to constantly be running.

The best way to avoid this issue is to have an AC professional assess the home for proper AC size recommendations. There is no exact formula to determine the appropriate AC sizing since not all homes have the same ceiling-to-floor measurements, open spaces, square footage, and the number of household members. These are all factors to consider when choosing the right size of air conditioning unit.

As for remediating this issue, some homeowners add wall AC units in areas where it is not as cool. These wall units are either split-type air conditioning or window-type ACs. Some on the other hand add ceiling or floor fans to circulate the cooler air in that subject room. However, the best and long-term way to deal with this concern is to upgrade to the right size of air conditioning. Get in touch with a certified AC technician for consultation.

3. Overexposure to sunlight

Depending on the orientation of the house, some rooms get more sunlight than others. Usually, these rooms seem hotter than the rest of the home since sun rays can heat portions of the house. The best way to deal with this is to examine all the rooms and areas at home, especially those that seem hotter than the others. Check if the area has a window and if that window has enough treatment that would keep sunlight out. If there is none, or if the curtains there seem to be not enough to keep the hot rays inside then consider using thicker blackout curtains, blinds, or draperies.

Doing the above will not only help make the room cool like the rest of the house, but it will also help save on utility bills since it will ease up the pressure on the AC to cool a really warm house.  

4. Location of the thermostat

Sometimes, the location where a thermostat is installed has an impact on the overall coolness of the house. This could be causing your thermostat not reaching set temperature in the home. Homeowners should bear in mind that the thermostat measures the temperature in the area surrounding it, and not the whole house. So if it is facing a window with direct sunlight then it will take time for it to register cooler air making it cool in the rest of the house, except for the area near the thermostat and vice versa.

Revisit the location of the thermostat and see if there is anything that can be done to ensure the evenness of temperatures inside the whole property.

5. Multi-level homes are usually unevenly cooled

Attics are notoriously hotter on summer days, and way cooler during winter nights. This is because of how hot air rises and cold air falls (cold air is more dense than hot air) . The best way to get a consistent temperature in multi-level homes is to turn on the fan setting of the Central AC 24/7 so that cool air is blown throughout the rest of the rooms even if the air conditioning system is already cycling.

 Another reason why the upper floors are hotter is that the thermostat for the whole AC system is usually installed on the first level of the house. Since it measures the temperature there, it will stop cooling the whole house until the desired temperature is reached in the area surrounding the thermostat, which in this case is the first floor.

6. Obstructed or Closed Air Registers / Vents

Some homeowners absent-mindedly block air vents in their homes with upholstery like thick draperies, or even furniture or appliances. When this happens, cooled air will not get through and that particular room will not be as cold as the rest of the house. Homeowners should first check whether the vents in the hotter room are unobstructed before calling for AC servicing.

Another possible reason is the homeowner purposely closed the vents at home, thinking it will help save on utilities. This however is not an effective way to raise energy efficiency, and in reality, would only strain the AC system. The best way to save on utilities is by programming the AC thermostat several degrees higher during nighttime and when no one is at home.

7. Poor Home Insulation

Sometimes, home insulation could be the culprit why one room seems hotter than the others. When the home insulation is aging, it is no longer as effective as a newer one in deterring weather elements from affecting the inside of the house. Moreover, it can give way to air leaks that would just strain the AC system since the cooled air can escape from the walls.

The best way to assess if this is an ongoing issue is to commission an energy audit throughout the home. While a professional energy audit is ideal, even homeowners themselves can do it using informative guides. By auditing the needed energy in every part of the house, one determines whether there are problems with the insulation in his San Diego home, paving the way for energy savings.

8. Dirty AC Return Filters

One of the first things a homeowner should do when noticing a noticeably hotter room than the others is to check the AC filter in that particular room. If the AC filter is filthy and that particular room is exposed to pets, pollen, and indoor smoking then chances are this is the reason why the area is warmer compared to the rest of the house. Replace the filters religiously so that the room’s temperature will be consistent with the rest of the home, and at the same time keep the AC from getting unnecessarily strained. When AC systems are strained it also uses up more energy than needed, pushing utility bills higher. Dirty AC Filters could cause a clog in your system and also be a reason for why is my ac not blowing cold air.

Schedule an AC inspection for consistent temperatures throughout the house

The best way to ensure consistent cooling throughout the house is by scheduling an HVAC inspection. Only a certified air conditioning technician could correctly assess and remediate uneven cooling throughout the property.

Air conditioning services in San Diego

For issues about uneven cooling and temperature throughout your San Diego home, get in touch with us at Reliable Standard Heating, Air, & Solar. We will be more than happy to help you out in ensuring that every part of your house is comfortably cool. Call up our hotline or get in touch with us through our online scheduling platform so that we can visit you on your preferred schedule.  

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