Why Is My Room So Hot? Find Out Why!

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If you’ve ever asked yourself, “why is my room so hot compared to the rest of the house?” then chances are that it really is, and that you are not imagining things. There are many reasons your room could be hotter than the other rooms in your home and there are many things you can do to fix it.

In this article, I’ll be going over all that and more. It’ll help you understand the red flags to look out for and the actionable steps you can take for a cooler room.

 

Why is my room so hot?

why is my room so hotwhy is my room so hotIf your room does not have its own air conditioning system or HVAC system installed, it is at risk of becoming hot on certain days and seasons. On the other hand, if you have an air conditioner, the issue is likely technical. It may require the assistance of a professional HVAC technician.

Air conditioning systems aside, the issue could also lie in another factor. This may be things such as electronics, blinds with no insulation, and even the positioning of that specific room.

Related: How To Fix A Hot Room In A House?

 

Measuring your room’s temperature

While it’s fairly easy to tell that your room is hotter than the rest of the house based on feeling alone. It can be useful to measure the room’s temperature for several reasons.

Firstly, it is easier to identify temperature inconsistencies if you understand the degree measurements of your home’s rooms. This can help you evaluate the big gap between your hot room and the rest of the house. This will help to reveal how severe the situation is.

To measure your room’s temperature, you can use a traditional glass thermometer or download a thermometer app on your smartphone (1). Many HVAC systems nowadays allow you to set the temperature of your room, but only a thermometer can give you an accurate reading.

A thermometer can accurately determine the difference between your AC settings and room temperature. 

Related: What Is The Temperature In My House

 

Factors that make a room hotter than another

Many interrelated factors can cause a room to be hotter than the rest of the house. The homeowner can often address these issues without the need for professional help. Sometimes, they can even cost little to nothing to fix.

Of course, more complex issues may require an inspection of your home’s ductwork. Again, this will likely require the advice of a professional HVAC expert.

 

Your room’s position in the house

Believe it or not, the physical location of your room impacts how hot or cold it is, either increasing or decreasing the room’s temperature. For instance, if your room is in the corner of the house and facing west, it could face longer direct sunlight exposure. This is especially true if your interior wall is not concrete, thus allowing hot air to pass through.

Another factor related to your room’s position is if it’s located at a higher altitude. For example, if you have a two-story (or bigger) home, you likely have some rooms upstairs that are hotter than the rest because the heat rises.

This means the cooler your downstairs area becomes due to the air conditioning. The hotter the upstairs area will become as the heat is pushed to a higher altitude.

Speaking of your room’s position, you might be at risk of a hot room if it is situated near the laundry room. As we know, appliances such as dryers can emit a lot of hot steam that can increase the room temperature. This could also be a factor if the room is near a kitchen. This is particularly true if hot foods are frequently cooked in the vicinity.

 

The blinds and shades are not insulated

A common reason for a hot room is poor insulation caused by your home’s exterior walls, blinds, and shades. There’s not much you can do about the walls without a heavy investment. But, you can get your hands on some blinds with better insulation.

It’s also known that dark colors absorb heat while bright colors reflect heat. So, choosing bright-colored blinds and walls can also be a good move to cool your room.

 

Your air vents may be blocked

Not all rooms come with air vents, but if yours does, it’s time to check for any obstructions that could be blocking the airflow. Proper airflow is vital for a nice and cool room. So, a clogged air vent is a common issue that results in one room being hotter than another.

These vents may be blocked by furniture, curtains, children’s toys, or a build-up of dust that prevents air circulation.

 

Too many electronics generate heat

We all know that electronics generate heat, but we often overlook that electronics can change the temperature of your room. In particular, if you have a large computer or television in your bedroom, the hot air emitted may be causing a heat rise to occur in your room.

Other electronics such as printers, scanners, and Wi-Fi routers also contribute to this issue.

 

The AC system may be malfunctioning

If you have an AC cooling system in your room and are still experiencing the agony of a hot room, there could be an issue with your air ducts/ductwork. If your AC or HVAC system is ductless, then chances are you have a clogged air filter that needs to be cleared.

Dirty air filters and poor ductwork are common reasons for air conditioning systems malfunctioning. Still, fortunately, they can be fixed through DIY solutions or with the help of a professional technician.

Related: What Is A Sunroom?

 

Things you can do to cool down your room

As you can see, many factors could be causing certain rooms to be hotter than the rest of the rooms in your home. Conversely, you can apply abundant troubleshooting to get your room temperature down to a more desirable level.

Hopefully, one of the following DIY solutions can get your room out of the heat. However, there are also options for seeking professional assistance for more complicated issues.

 

Keep your kitchen and laundry room cool

There’s not much you can do about your room’s orientation against the kitchen and laundry room. But, you can apply a few small solutions to help the issue. For instance, you can open up windows in your kitchen and encourage the use of the stove fan to ensure no hot air spreads outside the area.

You could also install AC systems or ceiling fans in or around your kitchen to help it cool down faster and prevent hot air from escaping.

Laundry rooms are typically located near an exit to the outdoors. They are designed this way for a reason. Keeping the door open (and the flyscreen closed) when using the dryer is a great way to minimize the amount of hot steam that spreads around your house without letting pests in.

You should also ensure the other laundry door accessed from inside the house is closed when the dryer is in use.

Related: Kitchen Essentials Checklist

 

Install ceiling fans and/or a cooling system

The most obvious solution to a hot room without a cooling system is to install an HVAC unit, a ceiling fan, or both! It can be handy to have both these units installed because your AC unit can set the standard in terms of temperature for the room. Then, a fan can spread the cold air across the room or even the entire home.

You can also opt for a blower fan if you’re on a budget. These can be positioned on your desk, side table, or wherever you spend most of your time.

 

Purchase insulated blinds

Improving the insulation in your room can be an absolute game-changer for keeping things cool. The great thing about this option is that you can save a fortune on purchasing a new HVAC system by replacing or customizing some of your blinds and shades.

By opting for insulation-friendly blinds, the hot air from outside will be cut off in its tracks and trapped inside the shades, leaving your room cooler.

If you wish to see the view outside your window, you may opt for solar shades instead. The great thing about these types of blinds is that they are quite transparent, allowing you to see through them and still admire the outside view.

Other window treatments include installing window film (2). This can provide an artistic design to your glass windows while reflecting heat away from your room for a stylish solution.

 

Check your air vents

The first thing to do is ensure there are no closed air vents, which can immediately cause a rise in room temperature and warm air. The next thing you want to do is have a closer look inside the air vents. This is to ensure nothing has fallen inside that could block the airflow into the room.

If your room has no air vents, it could be a worthwhile investment to install supply vents to secure a fresh wave of cold air into your room.

 

Redistribute your home’s electronics

As mentioned, electronic appliances, computers, printers, and televisions can contribute to the increased heat of your room. Likely, you won’t want to move your TV or PC. However, things like Wi-Fi routers, printers, and scanners can be placed anywhere in your home, even in the garage!

Keeping your electronics evenly spaced out and “socially distant” from one another can help improve the temperature inconsistencies of your hot rooms.

In addition to relocating your devices, you could purchase cooling mechanisms to mitigate the heat produced. For instance, a cooling fan or cooling liquid add-on to your PC’s hardware prevents your device from overheating and reduces the overall heat emitted into the air.

It’s also good practice to regularly switch off your devices when not in use. Leaving them on all day and night will affect your room’s temperature.

 

Contact a HVAC technician

Sometimes, there is no choice but to hire an HVAC technician to thoroughly inspect your ductwork and heating and cooling system and provide expert advice. Often, your air ducts need repairing or replacing, and an HVAC professional can make the process easier.

By all means, if you are confident to repair your air ducts yourself, then go for it. However, you risk worsening the situation if you’re an amateur like me!

For ductless air conditioning systems, a malfunction can be caused by a dirty air filter. Fortunately, this is fairly easy to fix. It only requires you to remove the filter and rinse it under a sink, in a bathtub, or using an outdoor hose. Dirty air filters can prevent the formation of cold air and instead has the effect of producing heated air into your room.

 

Why is my room so hot FAQ

 

Why is my room so hot even with the fan on?

If your room does not have an HVAC system, then it’s likely your room will be hot as the fan will only circulate the hot air in your room. You can produce cool air in your room by installing a proper AC unit. Your fan can help circulate the conditioned air.

 

Why is my room so hot all the time?

There are many reasons your room could be hot compared to the rest of your home’s rooms and they can usually be fixed by yourself or with professional help. Issues are often related to HVAC settings, air leaks, closed vents, poor insulation, and the room’s physical location.

Sources
(1) – https://www.tec-science.com/thermodynamics/temperature/how-does-a-liquid-in-glass-thermometer-work/
(2) – https://iwfa.com/

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