Sometimes old ductwork is poorly designed and doesn’t send cool or heated air equally from one room to the next.
I feel incredibly grateful to be living in the same house that my grandparents raised my mother and her siblings in. This is the same house where all of the family gatherings and holiday dinners were held for decades. Some of my first memories of Christmas were sitting by the fireplace on my mom’s lap while my grandfather played jazz on the piano. My aunts and uncles would show up with all of my cousins, leading to a huge family event every single time. When I lost my parents to a car accident while I was still a teenager, this house became my official home and my grandparents finished raising me. I owe my life to them both, so living in this home after their passing is in part how I keep their memory alive. They took care of this place like it was one of their children, which is commendable. The condition is far superior to other homes as old as this one. Not only that, but I’m using the same metal ductwork that was installed here when they got their first air conditioner in the 1970s. Since it didn’t use any fiber glass or particle board inside, annual ductwork cleaning has kept it pristine and ready for future use. Sometimes old ductwork is poorly designed and doesn’t send cool or heated air equally from one room to the next. All I had to do was get a damper installed in the ventilation shaft that is the closest to the room where the air handler is located. This way more air has a chance to get further down the ventilation system before exiting into the rooms closest to the air conditioner. With a simple ventilation damper, my 1970s ductwork can last for years to come.