How Does Air Pressure in Your AC Work?

Writer • Feb 05, 2021

Those who believe in the paranormal may tell you that doors opening by themselves or certain rooms feeling colder than others are signs that there are ghosts in the house. Before you get too freaked out and move out of your home, though, HVAC professionals have an explanation: an airflow imbalance. Continue reading to learn about AC air pressure in Portage, MI and how it affects your home:

  • Positive air pressure: When a home has positive air pressure, the interior air pressure is too high. All of that excess pressure has to get out somehow, leading to doors suddenly opening by themselves. Since this leads to a loss of cool air, you’ll need to correct this to avoid a higher energy bill.
  • Negative air pressure: If your AC air pressure in Portage, MI is too low, it’s said to be negative instead of positive. When this occurs, warm air is being sucked inside. You may have trouble pushing doors open, or windows may fly open without warning. Your AC unit will have to work harder to cool a home with negative air pressure, resulting in higher energy bills.

What causes an imbalance?

It’d be great if all problems with air pressure had one cause that’s easy to correct. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. These are a few of the reasons homes have air pressure imbalances:

  • Air duct leaks: Any holes or cracks in the air ducts lead to improper distribution of air throughout the house. Not only will this leave some areas cooler or warmer than others, but it’ll also create an air pressure imbalance.
  • Overworking exhaust fans: Exhaust fans are great at getting hot air out of a bathroom or kitchen. However, when they’re running 24/7, they can create negative air pressure. We recommend turning exhaust fans off when they’re not needed.
  • Fan motor speed: Turning a ceiling fan to the highest setting is a good way to cool a space without running the AC unit. But when the fan is running at high speed for long periods, it does more harm than good by creating an air pressure imbalance.

How can an imbalance be corrected?

Before calling a professional to inspect the pressure from your home AC in Portage, MI, you can perform a few troubleshooting tricks. First, close or open registers throughout the house to get the perfect air balance from the ducts. You should also check the cleanliness of your air filters. In addition to preventing all sorts of HVAC issues, this can correct pressure imbalances.

If these adjustments don’t seem to help with anything, it’s time to hire an HVAC technician to find the source of the problem and correct it.

Call our team if you’re having trouble

The next time you experience any issues with your air conditioning system , call the professionals at All Brands Heating & Cooling. Whether it’s addressing pressure from your home AC in Portage, MI or installing a new AC, we’re your go-to team for all things related to HVAC systems. Give us a call today to see what we can do for you.

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