Every floor in your home should be a retreat that’s warm and comfy in the winter season and cool and comfortable in the summer. However, residents in some homes with multiple levels find the upper floor is stubbornly hotter or colder than the rooms on ground level.

This could merely be due to the fact most thermostats in a house are on the ground 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 discrepancies between the upstairs and downstairs could also be because of issues with your HVAC system. Some of these difficulties can be sorted out somewhat quickly while others might call for more extensive and costly fixes. Here, the professionals at ACS Heating and Air Conditioning will help you determine why the upstairs of your home is hotter than downstairs, or vice versa.

Why Is It Hot Upstairs?

The phenomenon of the upstairs of a two-story home feeling hotter than the downstairs can be attributed to several factors. Number one, heat rises, so it’s normal 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 permitting heat transfer from the roof into the upstairs rooms.

Another common reason is that the air conditioning is not powerful enough to cool the entire home, causing it to fight to cool the upstairs effectively.

To deal with these issues, homeowners could install extra insulation in the attic and make sure their home has sufficient ventilation. If there’s a possibility the air conditioning unit is the right size for the home, call an experienced HVAC company like ACS Heating and Air Conditioning inspect the unit. A qualified professional also can help locate a unit that's better suited for your home if you need 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 can cause a very chilly night for anyone whose bedrooms are on the upper floor. The most frequent explanations for an upstairs not heating like it ought to 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, resulting in colder temperatures on the upper levels. It’s crucial to make sure your home has a thick, 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 very important role in circulating conditioned air throughout different locations of the building. However, issues with the ductwork can cause the upstairs being colder than the downstairs. A frequently reported cause for this is improper airflow balance. The ducts may not be the right size or design, resulting 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 higher floors.

Another potential problem area in the ductwork is the layout of the supply and return vents. If there are fewer vents on the upper floor or they are poorly located, it can limit air circulation and cause inadequate heating or cooling. In addition, leaks or gaps in the ductwork can lead to air loss, decreasing the overall efficiency of the HVAC system and making the temperature difference more pronounced.

To find out why the upstairs is colder than the downstairs, homeowners should hve their ductwork examined by skilled HVAC pros like the team at ACS Heating and Air Conditioning to identify any imbalances, leaks or inadequacies. Sealing leaks and installing more 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 useful solution.

An HVAC zoning system breaks the residence 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 especially effective in situations where the upstairs of a multi-story home is quite hot or really 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 effortlessly.

To find out more about an HVAC zoning system in Tucker, call ACS Heating and Air Conditioning. We’ve created 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 issue in multi-floor homes is when the higher levels are more humid than the lower level.

A common reason for excess upper floor humidity is poor ventilation on the upper floor, which can cause higher humidity levels. As is often the case with temperature differences between floors, poor insulation or sealing in the attic or walls may let warm, humid air from outside infiltrate the upstairs rooms. And, if there are any leaks or plumbing issues on the upper floor, that can also create unwanted moisture in that area of a home.

To correct humidity problems, homeowners can increase 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. Identifying 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 valuable tool to manage humidity in the residence.