In Arlington and Fort Worth, dependable cooling is near the top of ‘must-have’ lists for commercial tenants. When airflow is off, spaces drift from setpoint, humidity creeps up, and small comfort gaps turn into tangible, potentially lease-ending tenant complaints.

Air balancing is not just a commissioning checkbox. It is a retention lever.

After Internet Outages, Air Imbalances May be the Biggest Management Emergency

Comfort issues can quickly escalate from nuisance calls into perceived management neglect. A warm corner office, a chronically cold conference room or a lobby that never stabilizes signals that the building isn’t being effectively managed.

Common Causes That Push Systems Out of Balance

• Post-build-out changes that alter loads and diffuser placement without recalculating airflow or static pressure.
• Aging or modified ductwork with leakage, crushed flex or unsealed takeoffs that starve downstream branches.
• Equipment swaps that change fan curves or available external static without rebalancing terminals.
• Controls drift in BAS, failed actuators or overrides that leave dampers in the wrong position.
• Neglected maintenance like clogged filters or fouled coils that raise pressure drop and shift airflow distribution.

Diagnosing Imbalance Before It Escalates

Experienced, well-equipped commercial HVAC technicians have a variety of methods for identifying the source and scope of air balancing problems.

• BAS trend review: Technicians check zone temperature, discharge air temp, damper command vs. position, fan status and runtime. As a first step, professionals look into zones that never satisfy, simultaneous heat/cool issues or dampers pegged near full open.
• Static pressure mapping: This involves measuring total external static and key branch pressures to see whether the fan is within design and determine which trunks are starved or overfed.
• Terminal and diffuser verification: Technicians use flow hoods and pitot readings to compare delivered CFM against design at VAV boxes, FPBs or constant-volume branches. They also confirm damper travel and actuator function.
• Envelope and load checks: HVAC professionals pay close attention to space changes, like added occupants, equipment heat or solar gain shifts after a remodel.
• Thermal and airflow visualization: Technicians use smoke pencils or thermal imaging to identify short-circuiting supply to return, stratification or diffuser throw that never reaches the occupied zone.

How Commercial HVAC Contractors Resolve Air Balancing Problems

The goal is to restore design intent with the least disruption while setting the system up for repeatable performance.

Restore Duct Integrity and Distribution

• Our technicians seal leakage at joints, takeoffs and plenums to stop pressure loss that reduces airflow to distant branches.
• We correct duct geometry by replacing crushed or overly long flex, removing sharp turns and resizing undersized runs that restrict flow.
• Balancing dampers are added or adjusted at strategic points to restore even branch-to-branch distribution without overthrottling terminals.
• Diffusers are repositioned or replaced to match the space function. This is done by selecting the proper throw and pattern to eliminate drafts and dead zones, especially in high ceilings or glass-heavy perimeters.

Recommission Terminals and Zones

• We recalibrate VAV and FPB boxes, verifying K-factors, flow sensors and actuator ranges. Minimums are set to maintain ventilation and prevent humidity creep during part-load operation.
• Control sequences are tightened by setting correct deadbands, time delays and reset logic for discharge air and static pressure.
• Reheat strategies are balanced so coils only engage when airflow is correct, preventing cooling and reheat from operating against each other.
• Ventilation delivery is verified to ensure outside-air strategies meet code without overventilating and raising latent load during summer.

Right-Size Fan Performance and Setpoints

• Fan speed and VFD programming are adjusted to reach design static pressure without oversupplying near trunks. Static pressure reset is applied based on actual box demand rather than a fixed high setpoint.
• Supply-air temperature reset is implemented to reduce diffuser drafts and improve part-load comfort while maintaining proper dehumidification.
• Economizer logic is coordinated so free cooling does not create stratification or humidity drift during shoulder seasons.

Controls and BAS Optimization

• Our team rebaselines the sensor network, replacing failed or drifted sensors and mapping each zone correctly so operators can trust the data.
• Schedules and operating modes are standardized to match tenant hours, aligning occupancy, setback and purge cycles to prevent the common early-morning or late-afternoon comfort pain points.
• Targeted monitoring points are added in critical trunks, like flow, pressure or temperature sensors that allow the BAS to detect subtle imbalance before it becomes noticeable to tenants.

Institutionalize Rebalancing Triggers

• Making air balancing part of standard change management can be a good idea for properties that frequently receive comfort complaints from tenants. Having any tenant build-out, density change, major equipment swap or diffuser relocation triggers a targeted rebalance is a dependable way to reduce complaints.
• Scheduling seasonal checks ahead of cooling season to confirm minimum airflows, static pressure reset and dehumidification performance may sound excessive, but if air balancing is a consistent problem for your building it could be a good idea.

Enhance Your Facility’s Comfort, Efficiency and Perception With Properly Balanced HVAC

A balanced system runs closer to design, lowers energy waste and reduces mechanical strain. Fewer hot/cold calls save your staff time and reduces vendor costs. More important, consistent comfort communicates professional stewardship of the property, which supports tenant retention without concessions.

Call Tom’s Commercial at 817-857-7400 for fast, dependable diagnoses and correction of air balancing issues in Arlington and Fort Worth.