Your home is a safe place from the Minneapolis cold weather. Being cozy is the most ideal when the temperatures drop below zero outside. When your home creates cold spots, it isn’t just annoying and uncomfortable, but it is also not ideal for your home. In the winter, cold spots mean that there is something going on with your furnace or air ducts.
Vents are covered or drafts are present
Between furniture, rugs, and other family belongings, it’s not uncommon to discover that your vents are covered. Go around your home to see if any vents are covered. It’s the easiest way to fix cold spots in your home. A similar issue is drafts from doors and windows. If the seals on the windows and doors are worn down, the cold air from outside will seep into your home, creating cold spots in rooms where it is a bigger issue. In this case, the seals will have to be repaired or replaced.
Air ducts or filters are clogged
Over time, your air filter and air ducts will get clogged with dust, dirt, and other particles that are in the air. This causes less air flow to certain rooms, similar to if a vent is covered. Getting your air ducts cleaned regularly can prevent this problem, but if it does happen, you will have to contact a professional to clean them out. Your air filter is a lot easier to clean out because it’s made to be replaced or cleaned regularly. It’s important to note that air filters are supposed to catch the dust and dirt in the air, so it will get clogged easily. Buying some extra air filters in advance is a great idea to stay ahead of problems like cold spots.
Faulty/Poorly insulated air ducts
The air ducts in your home are insulated to make sure that the air stays warm while going throughout your home. If the insulation in your air ducts or walls of your home is wearing thin or was not properly installed, the warm air in your home will escape and the cold air will come in. This creates cold spots in areas where the insulation is the thinnest. This issue is significantly more difficult to fix, but a licensed contractor will know how to fix it efficiently and quickly.
Home is poorly zoned
If your HVAC system can be adjusted to different rooms of your home, there is a possibility that the different zones of your home are not properly installed into your thermostat system. When the zones are off, one zone will heat faster than the other, creating cold spots in your home. To fix this, you will have to schedule an appointment with your HVAC technician to reprogram the zones in your home.
Furnace is the wrong size
The size of your home, in the square footage, determines the size of your furnace. When your furnace is the wrong size, it will either work too hard or be constantly turning on and off. Furnaces that are too small have to work very hard to make sure there is enough warmed air in your home. Once that fails, more air will go through the system without it being warmed enough, creating cold spots in your home. Furnaces that are too big will warm the air too quickly, turning off the furnace until it cools down again. The repeat of this cycle creates cold spots in rooms with fewer vents. If you think your furnace is the wrong size, call your HVAC provider to accurately measure your home.
If you are concerned about cold spots in your home, call Twin City Heating, Air and Electric to find the source of the issue. We are happy to help keep your family safe and comfortable over the winter.
