Solved: Upstairs Is Hotter or Colder Than Downstairs

Your entire residence should be a retreat that’s warm and toasty 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 rooms on ground level.

This could just be because most thermostats in a house are on the ground floor, which is where people spend the most 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 because of problems 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 Fleming Heating & Air Conditioning Inc 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 feeling hotter than the downstairs can be traced to several factors. First, heat rises, so it’s common for the second floor of a home to get hotter than the main floor. Poor 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 fight to cool the upstairs properly.

To tackle these issues, homeowners could add additional insulation in the attic and make sure their home has sufficient ventilation. If there’s a possibility the AC is the ideal size for the home, call an experienced HVAC company like Fleming Heating & Air Conditioning Inc 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 Always Cold/Not Heating?

When the downstairs of your home is warm, but it’s freezing upstairs, that makes for a very chilly night for anyone whose bedrooms are on the upper floor. The most prevalent explanations for an upstairs not heating like it should are the insulation levels and the ductwork.

Inadequate insulation permits cold air to leak through the home’s attic or walls and contribute to heat loss, causing colder temperatures on higher floors. It’s important to make sure your home has a solid, level layer of insulation in the attic and adequate insulation in the walls to keep the cold out and the heat inside.

The ductwork in a home plays a very important role in distributing conditioned air throughout different locations of the building. However, issues with the ductwork can result in the upstairs being colder than the lower floor. A common cause for this is improper airflow balance. The ducts may not be the proper size or design, causing an uneven distribution of air between the floors. This can cause more warm air to flow downstairs, causing insufficient airflow—which is the heated air—on the upper story.

Another potential problem area in the ductwork is the layout of the supply and return vents. If there are fewer vents on the upper level or they are not correctly placed, it can restrict air circulation and cause inferior heating or cooling. In addition, leaks or gaps in the ductwork can allow air loss, decreasing the overall efficiency of the HVAC system and making the temperature difference more pronounced.

To understand why the upstairs is colder than the downstairs, homeowners should hve their ductwork checked by skilled professionals like the team at Fleming Heating & Air Conditioning Inc 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.

What Do I Do to Fix a Hot/Cold Upstairs?

If your upstairs is hotter or colder than the lower floors of your residence, an HVAC zoning system could be a great solution.

An HVAC zoning system divides the household into distinct 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 useful in scenarios where the upstairs of a multi-story home is quite 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 easily.

To learn more about an HVAC zoning system in South Beloit and Belvidere, call Fleming Heating & 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 the Humidity So High 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 higher levels are more humid than downstairs.

A typical cause for excess upper floor humidity is weak ventilation on the upper floor, which can cause higher 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 outdoors infiltrate the upstairs rooms. In addition, if there are any leaks or plumbing issues on the upper floor, that can also create excessive moisture in that level of a home.

To manage humidity problems, homeowners can improve ventilation by getting fans or opening windows to promote airflow. Adding more 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 useful tool to reduce humidity in the residence.