Your entire home should be a refuge that’s warm and toasty in the winter season and cool and comfortable in the summer. However, owners of some two-story homes find the upper floor is stubbornly hotter or colder than the first floor.
This could merely be due to the fact most thermostats in a house are on the first floor, which is where people spend the the majority of time—in the living room, kitchen, etc.—so it makes sense to set the temperature according to how it feels on the first floor.
However, temperature variations between the upstairs and downstairs could also be due to issues with your HVAC system. Some of these challenges can be fixed fairly quickly while others might call for more extensive and costly fixes. Here, the specialists at Bell Air Conditioning Inc will help you solve why the upstairs of your home is hotter than downstairs, or vice versa.
Why Is It Hot Upstairs?
The phenomenon of the upstairs of a two-story home feeling hotter than the downstairs can be chalked up to several factors. First, heat rises, so it’s normal for the second floor of a home to get hotter than the main floor. Not enough insulation in the attic or roof can exacerbate this issue by permitting heat transfer from the roof into the upstairs rooms.
Another common reason is that the air conditioner is not powerful enough to cool the entire home, causing it to struggle to cool the upstairs adequately.
To deal with these issues, homeowners could install more insulation in the attic and make sure their home has proper ventilation. If there’s concern the air conditioner is the proper size for the home, call an experienced HVAC company like Bell Air Conditioning Inc inspect the unit. A qualified professional also can help select a unit that's better suited for your home if you require air conditioning installation or replacement.
Why Is My Upstairs Always Cold/Not Heating?
When the downstairs of your home is warm, but it’s very cold upstairs, that could result in an ice-cold night for anyone whose bedrooms are on the upper floor. The most prevalent causes of an upstairs not heating like it should are the insulation levels and the ductwork.
Inadequate insulation enables cold air to seep through the home’s attic or walls and contribute to heat loss, creating colder temperatures upstairs. It’s crucial to make sure your home has a solid, level layer of insulation in the attic and proper insulation in the walls to keep the cold out and the heat inside.
The ductwork in a home plays a critical role in disseminating conditioned air throughout different locations of the building. However, troubles with the ductwork can cause the upstairs being colder than the lower floor. A typical explanation for this is improper airflow balance. The ducts may not be the correct size or design, creating an uneven distribution of air between the floors. This can cause more warm air to flow downstairs, which creates insufficient airflow—which is the heated air—on the upper level.
Another possible issue with the ductwork is the location of the supply and return vents. If there are fewer vents on the upper story or they aren't well installed, it can restrict air circulation and cause inadequate heating or cooling. Also, leaks or gaps in the ductwork can cause air loss, decreasing the overall efficiency of the HVAC system and exacerbating the temperature difference.
To find out why the upstairs is colder than the downstairs, homeowners should hve their ductwork examined by trusted professionals like the team at Bell Air Conditioning Inc to identify any imbalances, leaks or inadequacies. Sealing leaks and adding additional vents or adjusting existing ones can help increase airflow and ensure a more even temperature balance between the upstairs and downstairs.
How You Can Fix a Hot or Cold Upstairs?
If your upstairs is hotter or colder than the rest of your house, an HVAC zoning system could be a highly effective solution.
An HVAC zoning system breaks the residence into distinct zones, which each have their own thermostat and damper system so the homeowner can customize the heating or cooling of each zone.
This system can be particularly effective in scenarios where the upstairs of a multi-story home is quite hot or really cold while the main floor is comfortable. By investing in a zoning system, homeowners can manage the temperature independently in each zone, allowing them to address specific hot or cold spots effectively.
To find out more about an HVAC zoning system in Temple/Belton , call Bell Air Conditioning Inc. We’ve developed and installed customized home comfort plans for many community members and are happy to show how an HVAC zoning system could enhance the comfort in your home.
Why Is it So Humid Upstairs?
In addition to the upper story being hotter or colder than the rest of the house, another issue in multi-floor homes is when the upstairs is more humid than downstairs.
A frequent cause for excess upper floor humidity is poor ventilation on the upper floor, which can result in higher humidity levels. As is often the case with temperature differences between floors, poor insulation or sealing in the attic or walls may allow warm, humid air from outdoors infiltrate the upstairs rooms. In addition, if there are any leaks or plumbing concerns on the upper floor, that can also cause excess moisture in that area of a home.
To manage humidity problems, homeowners can improve ventilation by getting fans or opening windows to promote airflow. Appropriate levels of insulation in the attic and better sealing the attic and walls can help prevent external moisture from entering the upstairs. Identifying and repairing any leaks or plumbing issues is also extremely important.
Depending on the levels of moisture found in the home, a whole-home dehumidifier could be another worthwhile tool to reduce humidity on the upper and lower floors.