Balancing The Heating System

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Uneven heating from room to room can often be adjusted by opening or closing registers, but a better method is to adjust the dampers inside the ductwork. Usually located near where the ducts branch, dampers are flat panels that pivot inside the duct to control the airflow. They are adjusted by a handle on the outside of the duct. Balancing a forced-air system is a trial-and-error process that may take a day or two. One way to do it is to get a few inexpensive identical thermometers and put one in the center of each room at a table height. Then open all the registers and dampers. Set the thermostat to 68 degrees F and start the furnace. After a half-hour, partly close the dampers for the warmest rooms. Continue to readjust the dampers until each room is at the desired temperature. When you finish, mark each damper handle’s position. If the system also cools, balance it separately for the cooling season, A sunny room may need more airflow to cool down in summer than it needs to warm up in winter.

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