Home Heating & Cooling 101: Understanding How Air Flows in Your Home

As we all know, homes tend to have both heating and cooling systems to ensure that the temperature is comfortable at all times, even when this is not the case outside. Ensuring that you have a high-quality HVAC system is important, but you also need to understand the way that air flows in your home. Most people don’t really know much about their heating and cooling system or the way that airflow works, but that’s what we are going to be discussing today.

Down below, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the things that you should know about how air flows in your home, and why it’s important for you to know this. Keep reading if you are interested in finding out more.

Understanding Air Flow In Your Home

Understanding air flow in your home allows you to have a more solid understanding of the way that your heating and cooling system works. In some cases, this may help you to get the most out of your system for your home.

The Path Of Least Resistance

In your home, you will have the main duct which runs throughout the entire house. From here, smaller ducts will branch off and if these are left open, a large amount of the air will come out of these closest to the furnace or the air conditioner. The ducts at the other end of the line, however, will end up with very little airflow, causing you to have uneven airflow throughout your house. The reason for this is that the air will travel the path of least resistance, as per the laws of physics.

Air Flow Issues

Dirty Air Filters

One of the common issues is that the air filter is dirty or clogged up. The job of this filter is to remove dust and debris in the unit, but if this gets clogged up or too dirty, then it’s going to reduce the system’s airflow altogether. The solution to this is to change the filter, and airflow should improve from there.

Problems With The Ductwork

Another common issue is something has gone wrong with the ductwork. If you can look at the ductwork, you might find that there is an open, torn, or even sagging in some places. This will allow air to escape in the wrong places, reducing the airflow in your home.

Blocked Or Closed Vents

It happens more than you would think that the output vents are blocked or simply closed. Make sure that you are checking your vents, ensuring that there is nothing obstructing them. It might be that you have furniture in front of them which is reducing airflow, and if this is the case they need to move ASAP.

Will Dampers Be Able To Help?

If you have never heard of dampers, they could be your saving grace. Dampers can help you to control the amount of air that flows through each of the branches in your home, assisting you in distributing the air more effectively than it is right now.

There are a range of different types of dampers, with some being able to perform better than others. Of course, you want to get the best, so it’s important to do your research and understand the difference between automatic volume dampers, and metal butterfly dampers for example.

Some experts may not advise using dampers if you don’t fully understand how to, simply because you can end up completely blocking the airflow if you are not careful. If you’re ever in doubt, make sure that you speak to a professional to get the help that you need.

Speak To An Expert If You Need Heating & Cooling Assistance in Northern, VA

The majority of homes in the US have hot air heating systems or ducted cooling systems, with a large majority of the people living in these homes being unhappy with the way that this works. The most common problem that people have with this kind of system is that one area ends up getting too much, while another area ends up without enough.

Here at Briggs Heating And Air Conditioning, we will do everything that we can to ensure that your home gets the best possible result from your HVAC system. If you are experiencing issues with your heating or cooling, we are your one-stop solution to fix any problem you may be having. Whether you have identified the issue, or you need us to, we will be there for you when you need us.

Contact us to get started.