Zone Damper Stuck Open in Williamsburg, MA? Troubleshooting HVAC Damper Failures

Often in larger homes, the air conditioning system may have a hard time regulating the indoor temperature. Frequently in the summertime there are places in the home that never cools down, and in the winter places that stay way colder. When the temperature fails to become balanced throughout the home often it may have to do with the zone damper system. Ambient Heating & Air Conditioning will share how to troubleshoot the zone damper and see if it is failing.

How Does a Zone HVAC System Work?

Not all homes are equipped with a zone damper system. Damper systems are manual or automated doors that restrict or direct the airflow through the air duct system. To help cool specific areas during different times throughout the day, zone damper systems are installed to cool the needed areas. Automatic zone damper systems are most common in commercial settings and in large buildings. However, large homes will often install a damper system, as large homes often need more efficient cooling control. Manual dampers can be found on the air vents in each room of the home, so you can manually close the air vents. However there are manual zone dampers that are used internally. These are set to help balance the building or home’s air flow. When automatic doors within the air duct damper system fails, sometimes the door may get stuck closed. This will result in certain areas of the home never getting cooled off or warmed.

Manually Closing Zone Damper

It is often recommended that you never close the manual damper as it restricts air flow and wastes energy. Additionally, it is better to maintain a cooled, or warm home during the season versus using extra energy to balance the home temperature. Manual zone dampers are used as a step so the door partially closes or fully closes to cut air off. However, in most cases the doors are never closed all the way. If the doors do become closed it’s due to a rodent pushing on the manual lever, or it got bumped accidentally.

Troubleshooting Zone Damper Not Working

If your home is out of air balance, first check the exterior vents and make sure they are all fully open. Next, determine if you have automated or manual dampers. You may need to go into the attic and follow your air ducts to the dampers. If you have manual dampers see if the handle is in the closed position. If so, turn it to open the damper. The damper door may be broken and stuck in the closed position. If this happened, you may need to remove the damper and replace it.

How to Tell if HVAC Damper is Open or Closed

Often when automatic dampers fail the small motor control breaks before the damper door will break. Each automatic damper system varies in design. Sometimes the motor and sensor system can be replaced. Other time the motor is connected to the damper door and the entire damper needs to be replaced. One way to know if the damper is broken is by turning on the air condition to a very low temperature and feel if any air comes through the register.

Central Air Conditioning Repair & More in Springfield, Granby, Holyoke, South Hadley, Monson Chicopee & Agawam Massachusetts

If you are unsure if your home temperature irregularity is due to a broken or failing damper system, contact an HVAC professional. Ambient Heating & Air Conditioning can determine why your home temperature has poor balance and why some areas stay either too cold or too hot. For all of you HVAC needs, contact Ambient Heating & Air Conditioning today.

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