I live in a very old, poorly insulated home, which is a nightmare to heat. This is only made worse by the fact that the radiators are so spread apart that there are several cold spots, especially in my open-plan living room, which always leaves me shivering.
Tired of having to wear six layers indoors every winter, I finally turned to HVAC professionals for the fix. Their suggestion? Improving airflow – the very opposite of what I had been trying to keep heat in.
How I Evened Out the Temperature in My Drafty Home
For the longest time, I have closed all the internal doors and blocked off spaces in an attempt to keep heat inside the rooms I was using most, such as my living room and bedroom. However, according to Josh Leclair, HVAC expert, master electrician, and owner of Village Home Services, this is the exact opposite of what I needed, and is actually one of the many things making your heating system work harder.
He explains, ‘Uneven heating usually comes down to airflow problems, duct limitations, drafts, or thermostat placement. When airflow is weak because vents are blocked, filters are dirty, or ducts run long distances, distant rooms warm up more slowly.
‘Leaky ducts or drafty windows and doors can also make certain rooms feel colder than others. Warm air naturally rises, so upper floors often run hotter while lower rooms stay cool, and thermostats placed in poor locations can misread the actual temperature in the home.’
Josh suggests that the best place to start is with simple airflow fixes, for which there are a few options. ‘If you are a renter, these are fixes that you can probably do without getting the property owner involved,’ he adds.
- Open doors: JJ Gomez, of Cool Kids AC, suggests, ‘When interior doors close, it traps air. Warm air will be trapped in one room, while cold air is trapped in the room next door. If you need privacy, keep the door cracked a few inches so air can still get around.’
- Unblock heating: Whether you have heat vents or radiators, the first task should always be to clear the area immediately around them to allow heat to escape into the room more easily – moving any furniture, avoiding curtains hanging over radiators by switching thermal blinds from Wayfair, and opening vent covers all help. This free trick makes radiators heat up faster, and ensures that your vents aren’t overworking, ramping up energy bills with little effect.
- Switch thermostats from auto, to on: For forced air HVAC systems, Brian White, commercial president at Accurate Heating, Cooling & Plumbing suggest switching your thermostat fan from auto to on can, ‘Help circulate warm air more evenly throughout the home and will result in the blower on your unit to run continuously, mixing the air more effectively, which will help even out the temperature differences between rooms and floors.’
- Run ceiling fans: You may think of your ceiling fan as exclusively for use in summer; however, just as there is a best fan direction to cool a room, you can use your fan running on low clockwise to push warm air back down into your room, Josh explains.
- Use plug-in fans: Finally, Josh says, ‘If cold rooms persist, register booster fans are a practical upgrade that requires no permanent changes. These small plug-in fans sit on top of your existing vents and actively pull warm air through ducts that struggle to deliver enough airflow. Popular models like the AC Infinity AIRTAP [from Amazon], Suncourt Equalizer [at Amazon], or SmartCocoon boosters [from Lowe’s] are easy to install, quiet, and typically include built-in sensors or speed controls. They work by reducing stagnant air in long or undersized duct runs and increasing the volume of warm air entering the room. They are not a full system fix, but they can noticeably improve comfort in the most stubborn rooms.’ For radiator systems like mine, you can also find smart radiator fans from Amazon to push warmed air around your room.
When to Call an Expert
This trick works for both radiators, and heat vents.
(Image credit: The Radiator Company)
While these renter-friendly fixes are ideal for cutting energy bills and improving efficiency, there are some instances where you may need to call the pros to help eliminate hot and cold spots in your home.
Josh warns, ‘When none of the easy solutions solve the problem, the issue may be more complex. An HVAC professional can test and balance the duct system, seal leaks, or improve return air paths, which often has a dramatic impact. Sometimes the true culprit is poor insulation or major heat loss, which a landlord may need to address. In rare cases, long-term fixes like zoning systems may be needed.’
What to Shop
Madison Park Galen Cordless Room Darkening Roman Shade
This OEKO-TEX-certified Roman shade has a thermal foam backing, improving energy efficiency and enhanced privacy. Plus, it doesn’t get in the way of radiators and heat vents.
AC Infinity Airtap, Register Booster Fan
This register fan is designed to boost and improve existing airflow from register holes in home HVAC systems. It features 10-level speeds, heating and cooling triggers, and timer and cycle programming, and can be controlled from your phone.
Jurwheer Smart Radiator Fan Booster
Boost your home’s heating efficiency with this smart radiator fan that improves warm airs circulation, potentially reducing gas costs by up to 30% while ensuring more even heat distribution throughout your living space.
Frost King V73/9H Indoor Shrink Window Kit
This product is crystal clear and highly durable, tight, and applies wrinkle-free, adding an extra layer of thermal insulation to your windows to make your home feel warmer for less.
Google Nest Thermostat – Smart Thermostat for Home
A smart thermostat gives you greater control over your home heating and cooling, improving efficiency and boosting energy savings through smart schedules.
Duck Brand Black Foam Weatherstrip Seal
While your interior doors should be open, your external doors and windows should form a tight seal to keep heat inside your home. This foam weather stripping adheres to your frames to block drafts. This works for gaps less than an inch high.
Meet the Experts
Josh Leclair is the owner of Village Home Services, a business offering electrical, HVAC, and plumbing services. With his company, Josh emphasizes a neighborly, community-first philosophy, focusing on building trust and relationships through local engagement, word-of-mouth referrals, and consistent customer care.
Cool Kids AC, Heat, and Plumbing has built a brand name that stands for excellence for over 20 years. Their years of experience and knowledge in residential and commercial business have positioned the company in the top rankings.
Since joining Accurate in 2006, Brian has been responsible for the operations of the design/ build and special projects group, as well as oversight of the Commercial Service Department and Plumbing Division. He acquired his Professional Engineer’s license in 2010 and holds a BS-ME degree with a focus on HVAC and a Business minor from Ohio University.
There are some common heating mistakes that make your house colder that you should address to help keep a home warm all day, too, or your boosting efforts won’t make a difference.
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