How Airflow Affects Your Indoor Comfort
How Airflow Affects Your Indoor Comfort
Do you find that some rooms in your home are warmer than others? Do doors blow shut or swing open because of drafts? Central heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems blow conditioned air through ducts to all rooms within a building. When airflow is balanced, each room receives the proper amount of air for comfort. When airflow is incorrectly pressurized, comfort is affected.
Importance of Balancing Airflow
Air is forced through ducts at a calculated pressure. If pressure is too high or too low, you may feel drafts, experience higher energy bills or not be able to maintain a consistent temperature.
Positive pressure means that the air pressure within a space is higher than outdoors. Air is forced out of a room through cracks, under doors or around windows. Slightly high positive pressure keeps unconditioned air from infiltrating into the living space, a factor that enhances comfort.
Negative pressure means that air pressure in the living space is lower than outside. Air will be sucked in through cracks or holes in the building envelope. During warm, humid summer months, humidity and warm air are pulled into the living space. During winter months, cold air is sucked in. Both cause an HVAC system to work harder to produce conditioned air. You may experience higher energy bills, high summer humidity and drafts. Negative pressure can also cause back-drafting and buildup of dangerous gases in the living space.
Balanced airflow keeps all rooms as comfortable as possible, improves ventilation, uses less energy and puts less wear and tear on your HVAC system. Improved ventilation contributes to good indoor air quality.
Ways To Balance Airflow
When a new system is installed, technicians balance airflow. Over time, airflow may drop or increase. Running exhaust fans, using gas appliances and leaking ducts can cause negative pressure. Keeping filters clean, keeping doors open and making sure vents are not blocked are simple do-it-yourself ways to balance airflow.
Professional air balancing analyses and fine-tunes the entire system. If you have an airflow pressure problem, call the experts at AC Southeast. Our dealers are in a five-state area of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina. They can conduct pressure tests to measure and analyze airflow in your home. They can also examine the size and condition of ducts. After examining your system, certified technicians will recommend ways to balance your system, reduce negative pressure and improve airflow to maximize comfort.
For more information about airflow and comfort, call one of the experts you’ll find on this website.
