When you think about HVAC system performance, the first thing that usually comes to mind is your furnace. While that is a critical feature of your home’s heating, it is not the only part. A perfect furnace is useless without proper air distribution.

Here are five ways air distribution issues affect your home.

Hot and cold spots

The most obvious sign that your air distribution is inadequate is the presence of hot or cold spots in your house. An area without enough warm air will be cold in winter. Similarly, too much hot air will overheat a room. You can end up with this situation if you do a renovation and move room walls. Before starting any major renovations, make sure you consider your HVAC system. You may need to modify ductwork or add grilles, especially if your external walls are affected by the renovation.

Humidity issues

Poor air distribution can result in areas of high or low humidity depending on whether you are in heating or cooling mode. There is a myriad of health and safety issues that can come as a result of high or low humidity.

To minimize the risk of humidity problems, have a professional review the supply and return ductwork as well as airflow in your home.

Poor ventilation

For furnaces with integrated ventilation, poor circulation can affect the distribution of fresh air and removal of stale air. Even if your home does not have ventilation as part of the main air distribution, low airflow can create pockets of stagnant air that will affect air quality.

Have a professional review your duct distribution and airflow if you think poor ventilation is to blame for your air distribution issues.

Fan performance

Poor air distribution can put stress on your furnace blower which has to work to overcome resistance to airflow. This is mostly a problem for poorly built ductwork, but you can also run into this issue if your ducts need to be cleaned. Stay on top of duct cleaning and maintenance and if, despite these efforts, you still have issues, have a professional assess your duct layout to find and fix any problem areas.

Energy consumption due to poor air distribution

If your blower is struggling, this translates to higher energy use. You may also have to adjust your thermostat to compensate for hot or cold spots. This all adds up to higher energy consumption, increasing your costs while reducing comfort.