7 Effective Ways To Control Airflow in Your Home

The air circulation inside your home can greatly impact your comfort. Proper air circulation will improve the overall quality of your indoor air, help humidity levels stay in line, and increase the energy efficiency of your HVAC system. These simple practices will keep your home more comfortable and help you and your family breathe easier. Whether it’s a hot night or a cold one, you will sleep much more comfortably with these simple changes.

Adjust HVAC Vents

Learning how to optimize the power of your HVAC vents and keeping them clear allows air to circulate through every part of your home. Depending on the season, your vents might need adjusting to better move air where it is needed most. In the summer, adjust your vents to direct cool air to where hot air collects (i.e., on upper floors) and, in the winter, direct warm air where heat is escaping (i.e., lower floors).

Use Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are a great way to increase airflow and maintain a consistent temperature in the home. In summer, ceiling fans should always rotate counterclockwise; this pushes the cool air downward, creating a wind-chill effect that makes you feel cooler. During winter, switch the ceiling fan direction to clockwise and switch to a slow, low speed to pull the cool air up. This helps circulate the warm air trapped around the ceiling, making it feel warmer in the home.

Seal Ductwork

Leaky ductwork has a major impact on your HVAC system’s efficiency. When there are holes or gaps in the ductwork, conditioned air can escape and affect airflow, leading to higher utility bills. Sealing your ductwork allows the air to move where it’s needed, helping streamline your system’s operation.

Use Bathroom and Kitchen Exhaust Fans

Installing exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve indoor air quality. By removing excess moisture, smoke, odors, and other airborne pollutants, simply using exhaust fans can make a big difference.

Change HVAC Filters

Changing HVAC filters on a regular basis helps ensure that your system is operating at its best and that you’re breathing in clean air. Over time, dust, dirt and allergens will accumulate in your filter and stop air from moving freely through the ductwork, forcing your HVAC system to work harder than necessary. Change your filters every one to three months, depending on the type of filter and the environment of your home.

Crack Doors and Windows

Cracking doors and windows creates a cross breeze, which helps with proper ventilation. Open windows on opposite sides of your home to let the air flow freely. This technique helps to quickly cool down your home, especially during mild weather. It also allows free air movement in your room without the need to rely on your HVAC system.

Turn on the HVAC Fan

Turning your HVAC system’s fan setting to “on” allows you to keep the airflow circulating evenly throughout your house. Most home HVAC units have two settings for the fan – “On” and “Auto” – which dictate when the fan will run. The “On” setting keeps the fan running at all times, thus assuring that air will continuously circulate in your house. On the other hand, the “Auto” setting operates only when the HVAC system is heating or cooling. By keeping the fan circulating at all times, even during extreme temperatures, you can improve the airflow in your home.

Rely On Total Air To Optimize Your Home Air Circulation

By following these tips, you have everything you need to set up your house to enhance comfort indoors, improve indoor air quality, and make your home more energy-efficient at the same time.

Total Air delivers superior HVAC service for the Dallas Metro Area, from 24-hour emergency repairs to high-efficiency, high-capacity heating and cooling equipment.

Contact Total Air & Heat to schedule HVAC services today.