Every floor in your home should be a retreat that’s warm and cozy in the winter and cool and comfortable in the summer. However, residents in some multi-level residences find the upper floor is stubbornly hotter or colder than the first floor.

This could just be due to the fact 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 as a result they tend to set the temperature according to how it feels on the first floor.

However, temperature variations between the upstairs and downstairs could also be because of problems with your HVAC system. Some of these challenges can be resolved fairly quickly while others might necessitate more extensive and costly fixes. Here, the professionals at 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning 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 getting hotter than the downstairs can be attributed to several factors. First, heat rises, so it’s common for the second floor of a home to get hotter than the ground floor. Insufficient 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 strong enough to cool the entire home, causing it to have difficulty cooling the upstairs properly.

To address these issues, homeowners could add extra insulation in the attic and make sure their home has sufficient ventilation. If there’s a question of whether the air conditioning unit is the ideal size for the home, call an experienced HVAC company like 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning inspect the unit. A qualified professional also can help select a unit that's better suited for your home if you want air conditioning installation or replacement.

Why Is My Upstairs So Cold/Not Heating?

When the downstairs of your home is warm, but it’s extremely chilly upstairs, that can cause a frosty 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 upstairs. It’s important to make sure your home has a thick, 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 fundamental role in distributing conditioned air throughout different areas of the building. However, troubles with the ductwork can contribute to the upstairs being colder than the lower floor. A common cause for this is improper airflow balance. The ducts may not be the correct size or configuration, creating 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 potential problem area in the ductwork is the location of the supply and return vents. If there are fewer vents on the upper story or they aren't well positioned, it can reduce air circulation and cause inadequate heating or cooling. Also, leaks or gaps in the ductwork can allow air loss, decreasing the overall efficiency of the HVAC system and actually making the temperature difference worse.

To understand why the upstairs is colder than the downstairs, homeowners should hve their ductwork inspected by skilled professionals like the team at 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning to identify any imbalances, leaks or inadequacies. Sealing leaks and installing new vents or adjusting existing ones can help improve airflow and ensure a more consistent 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 home, an HVAC zoning system could be a useful solution.

An HVAC zoning system divides the household into distinctive zones, which each have their own thermostat and damper system so the homeowner can customize the heating or cooling of each zone.

This system can be very effective in scenarios where the upstairs of a multi-story home is too hot or too cold while the main floor is comfortable. By installing a  zoning system, homeowners can regulate the temperature independently in each zone, enabling them to address specific hot or cold spots easily.

To find out more about an HVAC zoning system in Lake Forest, call 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning. 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 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 upstairs is more humid than the first floor.

A typical reason for excess upper floor humidity is inadequate ventilation on the upper floor, which can result in greater 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 concerns on the upper floor, that can also create extra moisture in that section of a home.

To correct humidity problems, homeowners can add more ventilation by installing 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. 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 worthwhile tool to control humidity in your home.