Your entire home should be a sanctuary that’s warm and cozy in the winter 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 caused by the fact that 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 differences between the upstairs and downstairs could also be because of problems with your HVAC system. Some of these difficulties can be sorted out relatively quickly while others might necessitate more extensive and costly fixes. Here, the team at Fletcher Plumbing, Heating & AC will help you determine why the upstairs of your home is hotter than downstairs, or vice versa.
Why Is It Hotter Upstairs?
The phenomenon of the upstairs of a two-story home becoming hotter than the downstairs can be attributed to several factors. Number one, heat rises, so it’s natural for the second floor of a home to get hotter than the ground floor. Insufficient insulation in the attic or roof can exacerbate this issue by allowing heat transfer from the roof into the upstairs rooms.
Another common reason is that the HVAC system is not big enough to cool the entire home, causing it to have difficulty cooling the upstairs adequately.
To fix these issues, homeowners could install additional insulation in the attic and make sure their home has sufficient ventilation. If there’s a question of whether the AC is the right size for the home, call an experienced HVAC company like Fletcher Plumbing, Heating & AC inspect the unit. A qualified professional also can help find a unit that's better suited for your home if you need air conditioning installation or replacement.
Why Is My Upstairs Colder/Not Heating?
When the downstairs of your home is warm, but it’s extremely chilly upstairs, that could result in a very chilly night for anyone whose bedrooms are on the upper floor. The most common explanations for 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, causing colder temperatures on the upper levels. It’s essential 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 very important role in circulating conditioned air throughout different rooms of the building. However, problems with the ductwork can contribute to the upstairs being colder than the main level. A typical reason for this is improper airflow balance. The ducts may not be the proper size or design, which results in an uneven distribution of air between the floors. This can cause more warm air to flow downstairs, leaving insufficient airflow—which is the heated air—on the higher floors.
Another factor with ductwork is the location of the supply and return vents. If there are fewer vents on the upper story or they are not correctly located, it can limit air circulation and cause substandard heating or cooling. In addition, leaks or gaps in the ductwork can allow air loss, lowering the overall efficiency of the HVAC system and exacerbating the temperature difference.
To figure out why the upstairs is colder than the downstairs, homeowners should hve their ductwork checked by trusted experts like the team at Fletcher Plumbing, Heating & AC to identify any imbalances, leaks or inadequacies. Sealing leaks and installing new vents or adjusting existing ones can help increase airflow and ensure a more even temperature balance between the upstairs and downstairs.
What Do I Do to Fix a Hot/Cold Upstairs?
If your upstairs is hotter or colder than the ground level of your home, an HVAC zoning system could be a great solution.
An HVAC zoning system divides the residence into different zones, which each have their own thermostat and damper system so the homeowner can modify the heating or cooling of each zone.
This system can be especially beneficial in scenarios where the upstairs of a multi-story home is very hot or too cold while the main floor is comfortable. By installing a zoning system, homeowners can control the temperature independently in each zone, enabling them to address specific hot or cold spots easily.
To discover more about an HVAC zoning system in Smyrna, call Fletcher Plumbing, Heating & AC. We’ve designed 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 the Humidity So High 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 lower level.
A frequent explanation for excess upper floor humidity is weak ventilation on the upper floor, which can result in increased humidity levels. As is often the case with temperature differences between floors, inadequate insulation or sealing in the attic or walls may permit warm, humid air from outside the house infiltrate the upstairs rooms. And, if there are any leaks or plumbing problems on the upper floor, that can also create extra moisture in that level of a home.
To correct humidity problems, homeowners can increase ventilation by getting fans or opening windows to promote airflow. Proper 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 extremely important.
Depending on the levels of moisture found in the home, a whole-home dehumidifier could be another valuable tool to manage humidity on the upper and lower floors.