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Houston may not have long winters, but when the cold snaps hit, homeowners instantly discover which rooms actually perform — and which ones don’t. After years of building and renovating homes across the city, we consistently see the same comfort issues pop up.
Here are the top four reasons a room never warms up in Houston homes, and how we tackle each one.
This is one of the biggest cold-room offenders in Houston. Any room built over a space with open air underneath—like a garage, patio, porte cochere, or cantilevered section—takes the full impact of temperature swings. There’s nothing insulating the floor from the cold, so the entire room feels cooler, no matter how hard the HVAC works.
Add high-performance insulation to the garage or exposed slab ceiling
Improve air and moisture barriers to reduce temperature transfer
Install radiant floor heating in luxury primary suites or bonus rooms
Rebalance or increase HVAC airflow so the room receives adequate warm air
Rooms over open-air spaces are some of the biggest transformations we make in remodels, and the difference in comfort is dramatic.
Houston’s older homes — and even some newer ones — weren’t always built with insulation as a priority. Gaps, settling, and low-quality materials can leave certain rooms noticeably colder.
Add updated, higher-performance insulation
Seal attic penetrations and recessed lighting leaks
Re-insulate rooms with missing or compacted insulation
Evaluate insulation over garages and bonus rooms (major cold spots)
A small amount of work in the right places can completely change how a room feels.
Houston homes built before modern codes often have thin, single-pane windows that let cold air in and warm air out. Even newer homes can struggle if the window installation wasn’t done well.
Install double-pane or low-E glass (a Houston must)
Reseal poorly installed windows
Address framing gaps that allow air infiltration
Add insulated window coverings where needed
Better windows make a massive difference in both winter comfort and summer cooling.
Houston homes often rely on a “one-size-fits-all” HVAC setup that doesn’t match how families actually live or how their floor plan performs. Rooms far from the unit or with multiple exterior walls suffer most.
Add zoning to balance temperatures across the home
Resize or reposition supply/return vents
Reconfigure ductwork to increase airflow to problem rooms
Upgrade older systems that struggle during temperature extremes
A properly zoned system creates consistent comfort — even during Houston’s cold snaps.
Even in a warm climate like ours, no one wants a room that feels cold, drafty, or unusable half the year. The good news is that each of these issues has a clear solution — and most can be addressed without major disruption.
Whether it’s part of a remodel, a comfort-focused upgrade, or planning a new build, we design Houston homes that perform beautifully in every season.