Why Does My HVAC System Blow Too Much Air?

Too much of a good thing can be possible with air conditioning. Although it seems difficult to imagine a home that is too comfortable, anyone who has dealt with the issue of an air conditioning unit that blows too much air has faced this uncomfortable reality. Why would an HVAC system blow too much air? It could be due to an issue within the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, which can lead to a wide range of temperature changes from room to room, loud noise from duct work that can be disruptive to residents, and may even result in damage to the air conditioning unit or HVAC system that requires repair. 

An HVAC system that is blowing too much air through the vents inside the home is an HVAC unit in distress. There is an issue somewhere within the HVAC system that is causing it to work too hard which stresses the system, makes a house uncomfortable, and will probably lead to eventual damage to the system. In this article we will discuss some of the possible causes of why an HVAC system might be blowing too much air through vents and what can be done to correct the issue. 

Undersized or Damaged Ductwork

The ductwork of a home is a crucial part of an HVAC system. A well constructed duct system provides efficient pathways for air to travel throughout a house to maintain air comfort, like an express highway through the walls of your home. Each ductwork system must be customized to the home it is built in because every home layout comes with different needs. Sometimes issues arise from factors like where air returns are places, where the air conditioning, furnace, or heat pump is placed, and the addition of other air comfort systems like humidifiers and air purifiers. 

A homebuilder may not take these unique considerations into play when it comes to creating ductwork for a home, or the ductwork may be installed by the lowest bidder who provides poor-quality installation and cheap ductwork. If you have an older home, the size of the ductwork might have been serviceable when the house was built, but changes in demands on HVAC systems as well as the advancements in HVAC system technology might demand alterations in your home’s duct system. Ductwork that is undersized forces air through in a way that forces it out of vents harshly. It may rattle the ductwork and create unwanted noise as a symptom of the issue. 

The duct system of a home may have also been damaged! Homes shift over the years, and the installation or alteration of a home may have accidentally crushed a section of ductwork so that it compresses the air that passes through it. Like a hose that gets a kink in it, ductwork can also sag and bend in ways that cuts off airflow and forces it in another direction. If the ductwork is in a crawlspace or an area that wild animals can gain access to, there can be the risk of the ductwork being crushed or damaged by animals moving around the space.

SEE ALSO: When Good Ductwork Goes Bad

Blower Motor Issues

The blower motor in an HVAC system is what blows, or moves, air through the duct system and out to the vents throughout a house. A blower motor can work too hard and move too much air due to a few different problems. One problem is that, over time, a blower motor becomes dirty and clogged with dust or other particulates that circulate through an HVAC system. Another problem is that the blower motor was set at too high a speed when it was installed. Many models of blower motors have variable speeds, which allows you to adjust it to better suit a household’s needs.

The blower motor in an HVAC system is inaccessible to homeowners, but can be adjusted by a local, licensed HVAC service provider. Not only can they offer maintenance to make sure your blower motor is clean and operating properly, but an HVAC service provider can adjust the setting on the blower motor and assure that it is working optimally within a system. 

Closed Vents 

A common “solution” for keeping rooms comfortable is to close the air vents in unused rooms. It makes sense, right? By removing a vent for the air to exit, it will then travel to the next vent and into a room that needs it. However, this may create more problems by creating more pressure within the duct system. It is like closing exits on a highway. Traffic has nowhere to exit and builds up until it comes to a standstill. It is better to keep all of the vents in a home open and allow air to flow as the duct system was designed. Keeping vents open will also help prevent musty smells in rooms and reduce the noise of air moving in the duct system. 

When in Doubt, Contact Your Local HVAC Provider

So why does your HVAC system blow too much air? While this is not an exhaustive list, it’s a good place to start troubleshooting. Contact your local, licensed HVAC service provider to help troubleshoot these issues. They will help resolve the underlying cause of why air is blowing too hard from the vents. Whether the issue is with the speed of the blower motor or if your duct system needs to be renovated, a licensed HVAC service provider gives your household the expert knowledge, tools, and solutions to bring your household back to air comfort contentment.

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