Heating, Cooling and Indoor Air Problems in a House

Comfort complaints usually trace to airflow, refrigerant charge, duct leakage or building envelope losses rather than the equipment itself. ENERGY STAR estimates typical duct systems lose 20–30% of moved air to leaks, and ASHRAE 62.2 sets the residential ventilation baseline that most complaints of stuffiness violate.

Go straight to an HVAC diagnosis

Comfort complaints usually trace back to airflow, humidity or heat load. Pick the one that matches your house:

Why Is My House So Dusty? — Filter bypass, leaky return ducts and MERV ratings that actually cut dust.
Why Is My House So Humid? — Oversized AC short-cycling, crawlspace vapor and 30–50% RH targets.
Why Is My House So Hot When It Cold Outside? — Overheating in winter: thermostat faults, zoning problems and stuck heat.

Air conditioning

Warm air, short cycling, freezing coils.

Heating

Cold rooms, furnaces and heat pumps.

Airflow

Weak vents, uneven rooms, closed returns.

Humidity control

Clammy or dry air with the system running.

Why Is My House So Dry?🟢 Low urgency — monitor

Indoor air quality

Dust, filtration and ventilation.

Why Is My House So Dusty?🟡 Get it inspected

Energy use

High bills and equipment running constantly.

Why Is My House Getting High Energy Bills?🟢 Low urgency — monitor

Heating, Cooling & Air questions homeowners ask

What temperature split should my AC produce?

A correctly charged system drops supply air 16–22°F below return air. Under 14°F suggests low charge, a dirty coil or airflow restriction; over 25°F suggests severely restricted airflow.

How often should I change filters?

1-inch pleated filters every 60–90 days, monthly with pets or during construction. A MERV 8–13 filter balances filtration with the static pressure most residential blowers tolerate.