Your entire residence should be a sanctuary that’s warm and comfy in the winter and cool and comfortable in the summer. However, families who live in some homes with multiple levels find the upper floor is stubbornly hotter or colder than the main floor.

This could simply be because most thermostats in a house are on the main floor, which is where people spend the greatest amount 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 discrepancies between the upstairs and downstairs could also be due to trouble with your HVAC system. Some of these difficulties can be sorted out relatively quickly while others might call for more extensive and costly fixes. Here, the specialists at Air Service Co. will help you determine 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 attributed to several factors. For starters, 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 make this worse by letting heat transfer from the roof into the upstairs rooms.

Another common reason is that the HVAC system is not powerful enough to cool the entire home, causing it to have difficulty cooling the upstairs adequately.

To deal with these issues, homeowners could put in extra insulation in the attic and make sure their home has sufficient ventilation. If there’s concern the AC is the ideal size for the home, call an experienced HVAC company like Air Service Co. inspect the unit. A qualified professional also can help find a unit that's better suited for your home if you require 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 could result in an ice-cold night for anyone whose bedrooms are on the upper floor. The most frequent causes of an upstairs not heating like it ought to are the insulation levels and the ductwork.

Inadequate insulation lets cold air to filter through the home’s attic or walls and contribute to heat loss, resulting in colder temperatures on higher floors. 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 rooms of the building. However, issues with the ductwork can contribute to the upstairs being colder than the main level. A typical cause for this is improper airflow balance. The ducts may not be the right size or in the appropriate layout, 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 upper level.

Another possible issue with the ductwork is the placement of the supply and return vents. If there are fewer vents on the upper level or they are poorly placed, it can reduce air circulation and cause inadequate heating or cooling. Additionally, leaks or gaps in the ductwork can allow air loss, reducing the overall efficiency of the HVAC system and actually making the temperature difference worse.

To determine why the upstairs is colder than the downstairs, homeowners should hve their ductwork checked by experienced professionals like the team at Air Service Co. to identify any imbalances, leaks or inadequacies. Sealing leaks and installing additional vents or adjusting existing ones can help enhance 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 ground level of your residence, an HVAC zoning system could be a great solution.

An HVAC zoning system separates the home into distinct zones, which each have their own thermostat and damper system so the homeowner can control the heating or cooling of each zone.

This system can be very beneficial in instances where the upstairs of a multi-story home is very hot or too 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 easily.

To discover more about an HVAC zoning system in Muldrow, call Air Service Co.. We’ve developed and installed customized home comfort plans for many community members and are happy to show how an HVAC zoning system could work in your home.

Why Is My Upstairs So Humid?

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 higher levels are more humid than the lower level.

A typical cause 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, poor insulation or sealing in the attic or walls may allow warm, humid air from outside infiltrate the upstairs rooms. In addition, if there are any leaks or plumbing problems on the upper floor, that can also cause unwanted moisture in that section of a home.

To manage humidity problems, homeowners can increase ventilation by using fans or opening windows to promote airflow. Adding more insulation  in the attic and better sealing the attic and walls can help protect against external moisture from entering the upstairs. Locating 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 useful tool to control humidity in the residence.