Louisiana’s per-capita energy consumption is the second greatest among all states in the nation, and household heating and cooling are leading areas in which residents contribute to this level of consumption. High energy use translates into high energy costs for you as a homeowner, which makes proper balance an important concern. Air balancing of your HVAC system is typically completed when new equipment is installed to ensure that all areas of your home are heated and cooled efficiently and consistently. However, it’s easy to upset that balance over time, making it important to consider re-balancing from time to time.

What Is Air Balancing?

A central air conditioning and heating system delivers treated air through a circuit of ducts. The vents in various rooms allow the air to infiltrate those spaces to impact localized air temperatures. However, your thermostat is typically located in a central area of the home, measuring conditions only in that space. This control manages the system, but it has no way of identifying higher or lower temperature conditions in other rooms.

An HVAC technician uses hoods and measuring tools to identify the existing airflow levels so that vents can be adjusted to increase or decrease the flow in given spaces. As these adjustments are made, a balanced supply of air is delivered to each space, allowing all spaces to be maintained at comparable temperature levels.

Why Does My HVAC System Need to Be Re-Balanced?

In many homes, individual family members have different comfort preferences. They may address this by changing thermostat settings, but they might also adjust room vents to increase or decrease airflow. Some mistakenly believe that closing the vents in some rooms will allow for others to be heated or cooled more efficiently and with less cost. However, the imbalance can lead to high costs as a thermostat is later adjusted based on the conditions in a single room.
At Lee’s Air Conditioning, we offer a full range of air conditioning and heating system services, including air balancing. You can call our office at (337) 232-5337 to learn more about this service or to schedule an appointment.