A comfortable home takes years to organize and plan. In addition to the furnishings and décor that make a home comfortable, making the environment comfortable involves maximizing both heating and cooling in the summer and winter months, respectively. Ensuring that air flows through the home can be problematic for many homeowners.
In addition to areas in the home holding heat or cold during Australia’s changing seasons, the way a home is built might make getting perfect airflow into and out of the house difficult. Another factor that makes it difficult for air to flow easily through the home relates to furnishings that obstruct vents or radiators. There are a number of reasons that homeowners might have problems with getting the right amount of air to flow through their homes.
Continue reading to learn how you can increase airflow in the home to maximize heating and cooling all year round.
Install Roof Vents
Roof vents are beneficial to homeowners, as they can be used with or without other central and heating-cooling units. Roof vents improve circulation by moving heat and moisture out of your roof year around. In fact, these vents also allow for air conditioning and heating units to run more efficiently. In conjunction with air and heating units, roof vents can save homeowners a lot in energy bills during the extreme months of the year. Plus, attics that have been converted to guest bedrooms benefit greatly from roof vents that can provide greater circulation in these areas.
Clean Ducts
Another problem that might interfere with airflow in the home relates to central heating and cooling ducts. Dust build-up is one of the main reasons why your heating or air conditioning might not work as efficiently as it can. Filters within the ducts, after time, collect pet dander, dust, dust mites, textile and carpet fibers, mold spores, bacteria, and tobacco smoke remnants. When the filter is dirty, the air pressure is changed causing uneven air flow in the home. One way to guard against air flow problems is through routine maintenance on the unit.
Add Vents
An inadequate number of vents can also prevent air from flowing comfortably through the home. Again, this might relate to the way the home is set up where some rooms hold heat and cold simply because the air is not moving freely through individual rooms and the entire home. Adding vents in rooms where there is little ventilation is one way to guarantee air flows evenly and efficiently through the home.
Use Heating Exhaust Fans In Kitchen and Bath
In the kitchen and bathroom where heat typically gets trapped, consider installing exhaust fans to move heat out of these areas. In the bathrooms, hot showers can leave the room filled with steam, which creates moisture and mold problems, and in the kitchen, cooking can make the kitchen and dining rooms very warm. Exhaust fans help recreate a comfortable environment by moving hot air into the vents.
Take Advantage Of Balmy Weather
Finally, residents should consider going old-school and opening windows and doors to let fresh air in during the autumn, spring, and summer months. Homes that are built with the front and back door facing each other can really benefit from screened doors that allow the air to flow from the front through all the rooms to the back door. In conjunction with ceiling fans, you can potentially reduce your energy bill in the summer months.
Maximizing Airflow
These are just a few ways to maximise airflow in the home. Getting the best airflow in the home is key to comfort. More importantly, greater air circulation can translate into cost-savings in extreme weather months simply because heating and cooling units do not have to work so hard.
