Four Reasons Why Your Home May be Uncomfortable

If you asked a number of people to define a comfortable home they might say; a place with nice furniture, a place that is warm and dry, a place that has a lot of space.  When we get a call from a customer who says their home is uncomfortable it usually means they are having problems controlling temperatures and humidity within the home.

1. Undersized or Oversized Furnace or Air Conditioner
When someone designed your home, part of the design included the heating and cooling system. As with most homes, yours may have been modified since that original design. Or, if your home is new, the comfort system design may not be adequate for the home you are living in. We can evaluate the comfort and performance of your system based on the way your home is now. This includes any design changes, new insulation, windows, the addition of furniture, draperies, carpets and the hundreds of other items that can affect the way your comfort system performs.

For example, if your heating system isn't able to "keep up" on colder days, there's a good chance it's undersized. If it turns on and off constantly, chances are it's oversized. If your cooling system just won't cool your house down on the warmest days, there's a good chance it's undersized, or wasn't installed correctly. If it cycles on and off constantly and doesn't seem to pull the humidity out, it's likely oversized. This condition also wastes a great deal of energy and causes unnecessary wear and tear on your equipment.

2. Incorrect Duct System
Most homes have a heating and cooling system that was designed for ideal scenarios.  Unfortunately most homes are never ideal and often the air delivery systems do not work the way they were designed.  In some cases, a duct system may be installed improperly or was damaged at some point so that it's not delivering the correct air into each room. This usually results in an uncomfortable home.  Our technicians can check the airflow into each room and evaluate if your system is delivering the correct amount for the size of each room in your home.

3. Poor Air Quality
The funny thing about air quality is that you can't always smell it, but you can often feel it, and it can be a major contributor to discomfort in the home.  Poor air quality can be anything from excess humidity in the air to bacteria and mold spores or even gasses emitting from your furnace or air conditioner.  We have a variety of methods to check your home's air quality and report back to you.  Some problems may be a minor nuisance and others could be life threatening.

4. Home Ventilation and Pressure
Even when you're not home, there are a variety of physical activities taking place that you can't see. Your home is a living and breathing entity with constant air movement - even when the heating or cooling system is turned off. The degree to which your home is sealed up or unsealed affects pressures that determine the way air travels throughout the home. This pressure can be controlled through proper venting and ducting depending on what is required. Air balancing can help correct these pressure imbalances. This process should only be performed by technicians who are trained and certified, and have the right instruments to measure and adjust the air in your home.