You want both your HVAC system working at peak efficiency during the cooler season. For one, you want the house to be the optimal temperatures. You also want to make sure the equipment is not overworking. This could lead to a breakdown and costly repairs. The key here is to make sure it’s operating with the right amount of airflow. Here are the five major causes of airflow issues in a home’s HVAC system. If you suspect any of these issues, call one of the HVAC companies in Grayson, GA, to get their professional opinion.
1. Dirty Air Filters. The number one reason for airflow issues is a dirty air filter. An HVAC system works by circulating air through the ductwork inside the house. A blower motor that sits at the base of the furnace both pushes and pulls the heated or cooled air through the house. Before the air passes through the blower motor, it first passes through the air filter. Experts recommend homeowners replace the air filter once a month and to use a high-quality pleated filter. The air filter is designed to capture things like dirt, dust, and even mold, allergens, and contaminants. If not changed, the air filter can actually become clogged. This means less and less air can get circulated through the house, causing airflow issues.
2. Blocked Air Registers. As heated or cooled air is pushed through the ductwork, the air enters the rooms of the house through air registers. These are usually on the floors or the ceilings. If the registers get blocked by rugs, furniture, or other items, the heated or cooled air will not enter the room. This limits air circulation in these rooms, leaving you with stale or dead air that is not the right temperature. You can eliminate this problem by inspecting each register in the room to make sure nothing is blocking them, and that each register is open.
3. Damaged Ductwork. Ductwork is the shiny metal tunnels connected to the furnace that carry air through the house. If your basement is unfinished, you can see the ductwork running between the flooring joist. If the ductwork is dented, disconnected, or punctured, airflow will not be as powerful. You can fix this problem by applying duct tape over the punctures or reconnect any disconnected sections in the ductwork. Beyond that, you should bring in one of the emergency HVAC companies in your area to complete the repairs.
4. Bent AC Condenser Fins. Outside your house is the air conditioning condenser unit. This is the part of the air conditioning system that helps create the cold air circulating through your house. At the top of the AC condenser is a fan. The fan is covered by a see-through metal grate. If you notice the fan blades are bent, then the fan is not spinning at the optimal speed. This will impede the efficiency of the condenser and the airflow inside the house as well. This is something that one of the emergency HVAC companies in your area will need to fix.
5. Undersized Heating and Cooling Equipment. Another cause of airflow issues in your HVAC system is if your furnace and air conditioning equipment capacity is too small for your house. The HVAC company that installed your equipment should have performed an energy calculation to determine the right-sized equipment for your house based on square footage and other energy efficiency factors. A local HVAC company can come into your house and conduct the audit and see if their findings match the capacity of your equipment.
For more information on learning the major causes of airflow issues in your HVAC system, call Triad Mechanical at 770-682-0075.