Air Balancing for Homeowners: What Is It and Why Is It Important?
Indulge me with your imagination for just one minute… You are in your home, and you go from the living room, where you’ve been lounging comfortably, to your bedroom. Just as you walk in, you feel a very noticeable temperature difference. You try everything to make your bedroom a comfortable temperature—from adjusting the thermostat to closing the vents in various rooms. And why shouldn’t you? Is it too much to ask to be comfortable in your own home? Why can’t you get airflow in one end of your house, but get too much in the other end? Most of us will not even have to use our imaginations for this one as we have experienced this at one time or another.
Air Balancing & How It Works
What is the answer you ask? Air Balance. When done properly, air balancing can ensure an even home temperature from end to end. It makes sure that each of your rooms is receiving the perfect amount of airflow. However, there are some variables that can inevitably cause this “perfect airflow” to be derailed. When looking to do an air balance, ductwork and HVAC unit specifications must be all considered. Inadequate ductwork will always result in airflow restrictions. Likewise, the wrong HVAC unit for the home or a poorly performing one will result in deficient airflow.
When Should I Schedule Air Balancing?
Air balancing must be performed for summer or winter. Here in Texas, we have about nine months of warmer temperatures and three months of colder ones. Naturally, it makes sense to do a “summer” air balance. You might ask, how can we accurately measure for a proper air balance without using our gut feeling of temperature from room to room? As always, there is a right tool for the job. A specialized flow hood can be placed over each of the grilles to get an accurate reading of the airflow. This can be compared to what the airflow was designed to be based on the measurements of the home itself. If it’s a newer home, an engineer’s report should be available from the company that completed the installation of the equipment with specific CFM (cubic feet per minute) specs for the grilles.
While closing the grilles with your trusty broom sounds like a great idea, it will only result in noise at the grilles and noise throughout your home. Grilles should always be 100% open. Never close the louvers to adjust the pressure. The best way to back off air to a room is at the supply plenum itself with dampers.
Too Hot? Too Cold? Schedule Air Balancing Today!
If you’re lucky or smart (or both) you might already have a great multi-stage, high-efficiency system with electronic dampers that are already controlled by zoning to guarantee perfect airflow throughout your home. But let’s be honest, if you have this type of system, you’re probably not reading this article since you’re too busy being comfortable in your home. All joking aside, if you and your family find yourselves complaining that parts of your home are too hot or too cold in the spring and summer, an air balance is right for you.
Rick Overall
Frymire Home Services understands the importance of quality air conditioning and heating. We believe in educating and informing our customers, which will help them become experts in their home’s AC system. To learn more about HVAC visit our website at frymire.com or call us at 972-913-2881 to schedule an appointment with one of our licensed technicians.
