Having uneven or inadequate heat in your business can be frustrating for both you and your employees, and it could even affect your bottom line. People are obviously happier and more productive when they’re comfortable. The opposite is also true, and you’re likely to quickly end up with grumpy employees is they’re forced to spend their day working without adequate heat. Uneven heating is a very common problem with both residential and commercial HVAC systems. Luckily, there are a number of potential fixes that can help you overcome this issue and ensure your business stays warm whenever the temperature outside drops.
Have Your Heating System Maintained Yearly
One of the biggest key to both overcoming and preventing issues with uneven heating is to make sure you have your HVAC system professionally maintained every year. By scheduling a heating tune-up each fall, you can be assured that your system is ready to go whenever the cold weather sets in. During this appointment, an HVAC technician will inspect your furnace and entire heating system to see if there are any issues that need to be repaired.
Regular maintenance is essential for keeping your heating system functioning optimally and as efficiently as possible. Even minor problems with your furnace or heating system can make it so that the system has to work much harder to properly circulate heat throughout the entire building. When this happens, it often results in the areas at the furthest ends of the heating system receiving inadequate heat and remaining much colder.
Change Your Furnace Filters Regularly
A dirty or clogged furnace filter can dramatically reduce the amount of airflow in your HVAC system. When this happens, the furnace and blower fan are forced to work overtime to produce and circulate heat. This can easily be avoided by simply remembering to check your air filter regularly and change the filter every one to three months. It is also important that you use the right filter for your system. Attempting to use a filter that is too efficient can also restrict airflow and lead to uneven heating.
Make Sure Your Ductwork Is in Good Shape
Your ductwork is responsible for transporting the warm air from the furnace to the rest of the building. If the ductwork is damaged, improperly installed or poorly designed, it can make it much more difficult for the system to evenly circulate heat to every part of the building. Damaged ducts or poorly fitted joints can allow much of the hot air to escape before it can reach its intended destination. Similarly, a poorly designed duct system can create bottlenecks or otherwise restrict airflow. Any of the issues can potentially cause uneven heating. Therefore, it is a good idea to have your ductwork professionally inspected and sealed, repaired or replaced as needed.
Leave Your Fan Blower Turned On
The majority of people tend to have their thermostat set to Auto, which means the blower fan will only run when the furnace is on. Once the thermostat detects that the system has reached the set temperature, both the furnace and blower fan will automatically shut off. Depending on the size of the building, this may result in the blower never running for long enough to fully circulate warm air throughout the entire building. This is something you can potentially overcome by simply switching your thermostat to the Fan On setting so that the blower constantly circulates air throughout the building. Nonetheless, it is important to know that this could result in the blower eventually pumping out cooler air through the vents on days when the furnace doesn’t run often.
Keep Your Vents Clean and Clear
Clogged or obstructed vents can also cause some rooms in the building to never receive enough heat. This is especially common when the vents are located in the walls or floor. Any desks or other furniture that are too close to the vents can make it so that the warm air isn’t able to fully circulate throughout the room, which in turn will cause it to be much colder. In this sense, sometimes something as simple as rearranging the office furniture can potentially make a huge difference. Dirty or clogged vents can also create the same issue. Therefore, you should also make sure that the vents and vent covers are vacuumed and cleaned periodically.
Ensure the Building Is Well Insulated and Sealed
Drafts are often one of the biggest sources of heat loss. If your windows and doors aren’t properly sealed, they can let cold air in from outside and make it much more difficult to heat the space. One easy solution is to replace any old single-pane windows with double- or triple-pane windows as these are far more effective at insulating and keeping out the cold. You should also periodically check the weather stripping on all windows and doors to make sure it is not missing, cracked or damaged as this can also cause drafts. Finally, you should inspect the caulking inside and outside of all doors and windows to ensure they are fully sealed.
Attics, ceilings and walls that aren’t properly insulated can also let hot air out and cold air in. If you know your heating system is working properly and you’re still having issues with uneven heating, it is worth it to hire someone to inspect your building to ensure it has adequate insulation.
Upgrade Your HVAC System
Uneven heating could simply be a result of your HVAC system not being powerful enough for the size of your building. In this case, upgrading to a larger, more powerful furnace could be a quick and easy solution to this issue. Alternatively, you could consider installing an additional furnace and splitting your HVAC system into smaller, separate systems.
Switch to a Zone Control System
If all of your building is on one HVAC system and controlled by the same thermostat, you may want to consider switching to a zone control system. This type of system uses a series of dampers inside the ductwork to separate the building into multiple separate zones, each with its own thermostat and temperature controls. A zone control system can be especially useful for larger buildings or any building with multiple stories. It can also be a huge help for businesses with both an office area and a secondary area like a warehouse or workshop.
With this type of system, you will be able to set the specific temperature for each zone. For instance, if some areas of the building are always cold, you can raise the temperature for only that zone or set the fan so that it is always blowing hot air into that zone. A zone control system can also allow you to shut off the heating to any rooms or parts of the building that are rarely in use or don’t require heating.
With more than 30 years of commercial HVAC experience, Beyer Mechanical is the businesses in Selma and the surrounding areas have grown to trust for all of their heating and cooling needs. We work on all types of commercial HVAC equipment, including furnaces, chillers, heat pumps and split systems. Our team also specializes in design and installation of HVAC systems for new construction projects. Contact us today if you’re looking for ways to solve your uneven heating problems or need any other type of commercial HVAC service.
