HVAC Tips / April 7, 2021
Signs of Poor Air Circulation in the House
You will likely only be comfortable in your house if it has efficient air circulation. However, you might not notice inefficient air circulation if you don’t know what to look for. Below are some signs that should make you suspect inefficient air circulation in your home.
Your Home Is Excessively Dusty
A good HVAC system keeps air flowing throughout the house. With efficient air circulation, most of the dust in the house ends up in the air filter. Thus, your house shouldn’t be excessively dusty, especially if you don’t produce an unusual volume of dust. Therefore, you likely have an air circulation problem if your house is excessively dirty.
You Have Indoor Air Quality-Related Health Problems
Indoor air pollutants can cause different health problems. For example, you might experience:
- Allergic reactions if you are allergic to the pollutants in your house
- Aggravated asthma symptoms if you have asthma
- Lung problems if your poor indoor air quality (IAQ) continues for the long term
Vulnerable members of your household are likely to be highly susceptible to these health problems. Examples include those who are older and those with chronic health conditions.
You Experience Uneven Temperatures
Efficient circulation ensures all parts of the house receive fresh air, and stale air flows back to the HVAC system. That way, the HVAC can maintain even temperatures throughout the house. When something impairs air circulation, some parts of the house won’t receive adequate fresh air. Stale air will also remain trapped in some parts of the house. The result is uneven temperatures.
Your HVAC System Overworks
Your HVAC system will always work hard to maintain the temperatures you have set in the thermostat. Thus, the HVAC might overwork if your house has inefficient air circulation. Say something is blocking the supply registers. The HVAC’s run cycles will lengthen so that it can reach and maintain the target temperature.
The lengthy run cycles might cause the HVAC to:
- Break down more frequently than usual
- Be noisier than usual
- Consume more energy than usual
An overworking HVAC system is also likely to have a shorter lifespan than a similar system operating optimally.
You Experience Excessive Humidity
Like circulating air carries with it dust in your house, it also carries with it moist air. For example, everyday activities, such as cooking and washing, raise your indoor humidity levels.
However, you usually don’t notice the increase because the humid air circulates through the HVAC system, which removes some of the water.
Thus, you should suspect poor air circulation if your indoor humidity is too high. Signs of unusually high humidity include:
- Moist and clammy air
- Foggy windows
- Peeling paint
Many people also don’t feel as comfortable in humid areas as they do in other areas.
Poor air circulation can lead to unpleasant odors in multiple ways. For example:
- Condensation due to poor circulation can lead to mold growth, and mold has a strong smell
- Some indoor air contaminants, such as smoke and solvents, have distinctive smells
- Condensation and organic pollutants encourage bacterial decomposition, which gives off unpleasant smells
Again, the unpleasant smell will worsen with time. The poorer the air circulation, the staler your house might smell.
Poor air circulation might indicate a problem with your HVAC system. Maybe something has blocked the duct or register, or debris has clogged the air filter. Such problems don’t go away by themselves. You need an HVAC technician to diagnose and fix the issue. Mauzy Heating, Air & Solar has over 50 years of experience in the HVAC industry. Contact us for all your HVAC needs and benefit from our quality services and decades of experience.
