Your entire home should be a refuge that’s warm and comfy in the winter season and cool and comfortable in the summer. However, owners of some homes with multiple levels find the upper floor is stubbornly hotter or colder than the main floor.
This could just be because most thermostats in a house are on the main floor, which is where people spend the the majority of time—in the living room, kitchen, etc.—so as a result they tend to set the temperature according to how it feels on the first floor.
However, temperature differences between the upstairs and downstairs could also be due to trouble with your HVAC system. Some of these difficulties can be resolved somewhat quickly while others might necessitate more extensive and costly fixes. Here, the team at Home Comfort Heating & Air will help you solve why the upstairs of your home is hotter than downstairs, or vice versa.
Why Is My Upstairs So Hot?
The phenomenon of the upstairs of a two-story home becoming hotter than the downstairs can be chalked up to several factors. Number one, heat rises, so it’s common for the second floor of a home to get hotter than the ground floor. Poor insulation in the attic or roof can worsen this problem by allowing heat transfer from the roof into the upstairs rooms.
Another common reason is that the air conditioner is not strong enough to cool the entire home, causing it to have difficulty cooling the upstairs adequately.
To fix these issues, homeowners could add extra insulation in the attic and make sure their home has proper ventilation. If there’s a possibility the air conditioning unit is the right size for the home, call an experienced HVAC company like Home Comfort Heating & Air inspect the unit. A skilled professional also can help select a unit that's better suited for your home if you want air conditioning installation or replacement.
Why Is My Upstairs So Cold/Not Heating?
When the downstairs of your home is warm, but it’s freezing upstairs, that makes for an ice-cold night for anyone whose bedrooms are on the upper floor. The most common explanations for an upstairs not heating like it ought to are the insulation levels and the ductwork.
Inadequate insulation enables cold air to filter through the home’s attic or walls and contribute to heat loss, resulting in colder temperatures upstairs. It’s crucial to make sure your home has a solid, level layer of insulation in the attic and appropriate insulation in the walls to keep the cold out and the heat inside.
The ductwork in a home plays a critical role in circulating conditioned air throughout different areas of the building. However, troubles with the ductwork can contribute to the upstairs being colder than the lower floor. A common reason for this is improper airflow balance. The ducts may not be the correct size or configuration, which results in an uneven distribution of air between the floors. This can cause more warm air to go downstairs, leaving insufficient airflow—which is the heated air—on the upper story.
Another factor with ductwork is the placement of the supply and return vents. If there are fewer vents on the upper floor or they are poorly installed, it can restrict air circulation and cause inferior 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 checked by experienced HVAC pros like the team at Home Comfort Heating & Air to identify any imbalances, leaks or inadequacies. Sealing leaks and adding more vents or adjusting existing ones can help enhance airflow and ensure a better temperature balance between the upstairs and downstairs.
Fixing the Hot or Cold Upstairs Problem?
If your upstairs is hotter or colder than the lower floors of your house, an HVAC zoning system could be an effective solution.
An HVAC zoning system divides the home into distinctive 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 useful in instances where the upstairs of a multi-story home is too hot or too cold while the main floor is comfortable. By implementing a zoning system, homeowners can control the temperature independently in each zone, enabling them to address specific hot or cold spots effortlessly.
To learn more about an HVAC zoning system in Elk River, call Home Comfort Heating & Air. We’ve created and installed customized home comfort plans for many community members and are happy to show how an HVAC zoning system could benefit 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 problem in multi-floor homes is when the upstairs is more humid than the first floor.
A typical cause for excess upper floor humidity is inadequate ventilation on the upper floor, which can produce increased humidity levels. As is often the case with temperature differences between floors, insufficient insulation or sealing in the attic or walls may allow warm, humid air from outdoors infiltrate the upstairs rooms. Plus, if there are any leaks or plumbing concerns on the upper floor, that can also cause excess moisture in that section of a home.
To deal with humidity problems, homeowners can improve ventilation by installing fans or opening windows to promote airflow. Adding more insulation in the attic and better sealing the attic and walls can help stop external moisture from entering the upstairs. Finding and repairing any leaks or plumbing issues is also critical.
Depending on the levels of moisture found in the home, a whole-home dehumidifier could be another helpful tool to control humidity on the upper and lower floors.
