How to Balance Air Conditioning Systems

An air conditioning system must be balanced in its airflow distribution or it will not cool the home evenly. The temperature will fluctuate between rooms and hallways, making it difficult to keep the thermostat at a level that is comfortable for the entire family. A properly balanced air conditioner will also run more efficiently, saving you money on energy bills each month.

Instructions

1. Open all of the air registers in the home. Air supply registers have a small lever to adjust the vent behind the grill. Air return registers look similar but do not have an adjustment lever. Remove any obstructions in front of the air return registers. Air must flow freely back into the system for the air conditioner to operate efficiently.

2. Run the air conditioner for several minutes and walk around your home to find the areas that need to be balanced. Pay attention to rooms that are too cold or too hot. Drastic temperature changes from room to room are a sign that the airflow is uneven.

3. Start balancing the air conditioning system by partially closing the registers in the rooms that were too cold. This will cut off some of the airflow into those rooms so they remain warmer.

4. Run the air conditioner again for a few minutes to see if your changes have improved the temperature balance in the home. Reducing the airflow in the cold rooms will automatically increase the air that is pumped into the warmer rooms. This is usually enough to balance out the temperature between the two areas. If some rooms are still too warm, open the air registers as widely as possible to get maximum airflow.

Tips & Warnings

• Some air conditioning systems have balancing dampers installed in the duct system. They allow you to control the airflow that is directed to the various sections of the home. Dampers can also be added to an existing set of ducts to make it easier to balance the temperature. Consult a local air conditioning repair company to find out if dampers can be added to your system.