A common complaint that homeowners have expressed is that their second floor is too hot. This complaint increases, especially during the hot peaks of the summer months where the upstairs is hotter than the downstairs. Homeowners are regularly frustrated about uneven temperatures resulting in an uncomfortable home. But sometimes, fixing this simple issue is complicated. This guide will help you better understand why your second floor is too hot in the summer and how this issue can be solved.
Forced Air HVAC
If you live in a multi-story home, then your second floor will likely be hotter than the first floor. In the summer, your thermostat knows when the temperature in the house has gotten too hot, so it sends a signal to your HVAC system to blow cool air through the duct system. As a result, cool air is dispersed throughout the house.
However, hot air rises, so the warm air from the ground floor will eventually rise upstairs. As the heat rises to the second floor, cool air settles on the first floor. If your thermostat is positioned on the first floor, it sends a signal that the home has reached its comfort temperature and stops calling for cold air. However, the second floor never cooled down.
As this cycle repeats, the second floor of your home remains hot while the first floor is cool. It is important to be aware of the reasons why there is an uneven distribution of cool air throughout your home. One situation may be a blocked vent. Oftentimes this happens with furniture covering a floor vent. Some of the remedies for this situation are an easy fix, however, oftentimes the problems are hidden from view and require a professional.
If you’re unsure how to solve your central air conditioning problem, contact us. We will send a technician to your home to analyze your cooling system.
Zoning
One way to reduce the amount of excessive heat on your second floor is to add a second thermostat on the second floor of your house. By doing this, you will have 2 zones in your home: the thermostat in zone one on the first floor and the thermostat in zone two on the second floor. The thermostat in zone one will control how hot or cold the first floor is. The thermostat on the second floor will only control how hot or cold the upstairs is.
In order to implement a multi-zone heating and cooling system, a qualified HVAC technician will need to install an interface that interacts with both thermostats and your heating and air conditioning system. Additionally, by having a thermostat installed on your second floor, you will experience a higher level of comfort and reduced energy bills due to better energy efficiency.
Ductwork, Insulation, and Seals
The ducts in your house are in charge of dispersing hot and cool air throughout your home. If your second floor is not getting cool air, it could be a result of a damaged or leaky duct. When a duct has a leak in it, the cold air escapes through the crack and never reaches the second floor. Also, another reason your second floor is too hot may be due to not enough ductwork reaching the second floor. If this is the case, the upstairs of your house has no supply of cool air.
Some Steps to Help Solving this Uneven Temperature Problem
Change the air conditioning filters
Dirty filters in your heating and cooling system will restrict airflow throughout your house. The reason your second floor may not be getting cool air may simply be a result of a dirty filter causing a restricted airflow.
Insulate and ventilate your attic
If your attic has good insulation, then hot air won’t get trapped upstairs as easily. Also, you should check to see if your attic has proper ventilation. Without good ventilation in your attic, heat and moisture will remain upstairs and make your second floor too hot. Another way to keep the attic cool is to install an attic fan. A fan in your attic will not only help circulate the air, but it will also reduce the amount of hot air trapped in the home.