If you’ve got one room in your home that feels like the walk-in freezer while the rest of your house is comfortable, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common HVAC complaints we hear from Central Indiana homeowners, especially during winter. The good news? The culprit is usually fixable. Let’s walk through what’s likely causing the problem and when you need to call in the pros.
Start Simple: Check Your Vents
Before you panic about major repairs, walk around and check every vent in the cold room. Furniture or other items covering your vents can absorb heat and restrict airflow. Move anything blocking the vents and make sure they’re actually open—it’s surprisingly common for someone to close them and forget about it.
While you’re at it, grab a flashlight and look inside the vents for dust buildup, debris, or even signs of rodents. A clogged vent can’t deliver warm air properly. Clean, unobstructed vents make a huge difference.
Your Air Filter Might Be Choking Your System
A dirty air filter restricts airflow throughout your system, which can cause certain rooms to run cold. When did you change yours last? If you can’t remember, that’s your answer. A clogged filter forces your HVAC system to work harder and reduces the amount of heated air reaching every room. Replace it and see if the temperature improves. This is one of the easiest and cheapest fixes you can do yourself.
Leaky Ductwork Is Stealing Your Heat
Here’s the big one: leaky ductwork is the number one cause of under-heated rooms. If your ducts have cracks, gaps, or loose connections, warm air escapes before it ever reaches that cold room. This is especially common in older homes or if ductwork runs through unconditioned spaces like attics or crawl spaces.
Leaking ducts can cause you to lose up to 20% of your airflow—that’s air you’ve paid to heat. Though you cannot see the problem, (ducts are hidden in your walls, floors, and ceilings) you’re definitely feeling the effects of it. If you’ve ruled out blocked vents and a dirty filter, ductwork leaks are a strong possibility.
Unbalanced Ductwork Design
Sometimes the problem isn’t a leak—it’s that your ductwork was never designed to deliver the right amount of air to every room. Each individual room has a certain airflow requirement based on its size, and poor duct sizing impedes airflow, causing cold and hot spots.
Think of it this way: if your main duct is too small or if a particular room’s branch duct is undersized, that room simply won’t get enough heated air no matter how hard your furnace works. This is called an unbalanced system, and it typically requires a professional to diagnose and fix.
Poor Insulation Lets Cold Air Win
Inadequate insulation in walls, ceilings, or floors makes it nearly impossible for a room to retain heat. This is particularly true for rooms above garages, bonus rooms over unheated spaces, or rooms on outside corners of your home. If you feel drafts around windows or doors, that’s a sign cold air is sneaking in and warm air is escaping.
Insulation problems often go hand-in-hand with other issues. A room might have decent ductwork, but if the walls aren’t properly insulated, the heat just disappears as fast as it arrives.
Your HVAC System Might Be the Wrong Size
If your unit is too large, it’ll shut off before it’s had a chance to heat every room. If your unit is too small, it’ll never be able to keep up with your heating demands. This is especially common in homes that have had additions built without upgrading the HVAC system to match.
An undersized system will run constantly but never quite catch up. An oversized system will short-cycle, turning on and off repeatedly, which means some rooms never get their fair share of warm air.
Missing or Closed-Off Ductwork
Believe it or not, sometimes there isn’t actually a heat duct running to that cold room, or it’s been closed off. This happens more often than you’d think, especially in older homes or finished basements. If there’s no duct delivering heat to a room, well, that room is going to be cold. Period.
Depending on your home’s layout and how your HVAC system is configured, adding a duct line might be simple—or it might require opening up walls or floors. It all depends on where your existing ductwork runs.
When to Call Absolute Comfort
If you’ve checked vents, changed your filter, and still have a freezing room, it’s time to bring in a professional. The issue could be:
- Ductwork that leaks or has damage and needs sealing or repair
- Unbalanced ductwork that requires damper adjustments or duct resizing
- An HVAC system that’s the wrong size for your home
- Missing ductwork that your home needs
- Insulation problems that work against your heating system
Our team can diagnose the problem and get every room in your home back to comfortable. We’ll inspect your ductwork, test airflow to each room, and give you an honest assessment of what needs to be fixed.
Nobody should have to wear a parka in their own bedroom. Let’s fix that cold room for good.