We’ve all been there. You set the thermostat to a reasonable 78 degrees, but when you walk into that one particular room–whether it’s your guest room, your office, or if you’re really unlucky, your bedroom–it feels like a balmy 82. 

So rather than deal with this problem all summer long (like you did last summer…and the summer before that), you’ve decided to research the issue and find a solution. Good for you! You’ve come to the right place. 

As HVAC maintenance specialists, the crew at Titan Heating and Cooling has definitely heard this question before. And the answer isn’t always air conditioning repair services. In fact, there are several possible reasons why one room is hotter than the rest of the house. 

Below, we’ve listed five common culprits of a temperature imbalance and offered up a solution for each. 

Poor Insulation 

Aside from being hotter in the summertime, is the room in question always colder in winter? If the answer is yes, your problem might be poor insulation. 

When a room isn’t insulated well, more air is able to escape through the walls of your home, causing your heating and air conditioning systems to work overtime. That also means that in the winter, your heater is warming up icicles, and during the summer, the AC is cooling off your shrubbery. Not a pleasant thought. 

If you’ve lived at your residence for a while, it might be time to have a professional come conduct an inspection to find out if your home needs new insulation. When a room is properly insulated, it will hold its temperature much better. 

Windows

There’s nothing better than a lovely view, and big windows through which you can appreciate it. But, if your windows are old or poorly sealed, they can easily let air escape from your home, changing the temperature in the room. 

Even if your windows are brand new, they can still cause issues. Statistically, windows are to blame for about 13% of air leakage in a home. 

There are a couple of solutions here. If your problem is that your windows are just old, you can have a professional come out and air seal your windows for you, or check out our blog on how to air seal your home yourself. 

If your windows are brand new, however, consider applying special temperature control window film to them. These films will help stabilize the temperature in that particular room by blocking UV rays from getting into the room and cool air from leaving it. 

Distance From the AC

Is your extra-warm room far from the AC unit? It’s not unheard of for rooms that are farthest away from the AC to not get its full effects. There are a couple reasons for this. 

1. Your AC system could be too small for your home. 
2. Long runs of ducts might be poorly insulated, allowing cool air to escape before it reaches a particular room. 

Adding insulation to your ducts is a fairly simple fix. However, if it turns out that your AC is too small for your home, you may need to consider upgrading your air conditioning system. The skilled HVAC technicians at Titan would be able to determine the proper air conditioning unit for the size of your home. 

Obstructed Air Vents/Dirty Filters

Though checking the air vents is probably the first thing you did when you noticed the different temperatures in your home, it’s still worth double checking. Are the vents open all the way? Is there any furniture in front of the air vent that may be blocking airflow? 

If you’ve checked off both of those boxes, then your problem might lie in the filter that sits directly behind the air vent. Did you know that you replace your air filters once a month? Yup, you heard that right. 

So, If it’s been years, you’ll probably notice a thick film of dust and grime covering the air filter in your too-warm room. As the amount of dust increases over time, less cool air is able to get into the room. So, a dirty filter could absolutely be contributing to your temperature problem. 

Other than opening air vents and moving furniture, the moral of the story is this: replace your air filters! 

Damaged Air Ducts

Damage can happen to your duct system in a number of ways, including uneven air pressure, mold, rodents, or age. When your duct system is damaged, air can easily escape through the damaged areas, causing your heating and air conditioning systems to be less efficient.

The average duct system has a lifespan of about 10-15 years. If your duct system is around that age or older, it might be time for an upgrade. 

If your system isn’t quite old enough to warrant replacement, then the best way to stay on top of duct damage is to schedule regular HVAC maintenance. HVAC technicians will be able to tell you if your ductwork needs sealing or if you need other AC repair services. 

Trust Titan to Maintain Your AC 

If you’ve tried everything and are still experiencing a temperature imbalance in your home, it’s time to take it to the professionals. 

One of our skilled technicians can inspect your system to figure out if you need AC repair services, or if there are other steps you can take to get your extra-warm room’s temperature to match the thermostat. 

The best way to make sure your AC is running properly, is of course, to get on an HVAC maintenance schedule. This will save you from costly repairs or replacements down the line. 
Contact Titan Heating and Cooling or call us at (651) 714-8931 to speak with one of our technicians today. We look forward to keeping your home cool this summer!