Solved: Upstairs Is Hotter or Colder Than Downstairs

Your entire home should be a refuge that’s warm and toasty in the cold months 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 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 it makes sense to set the temperature according to how it feels on the first floor.

However, temperature differences between the upstairs and downstairs could also be because of problems with your HVAC system. Some of these difficulties can be fixed fairly quickly while others might necessitate more extensive and costly fixes. Here, the specialists at Alpine Summit Heating & Cooling will help you figure out 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 traced to several factors. Number one, heat rises, so it’s normal for the second floor of a home to get hotter than the first floor. Poor insulation in the attic or roof can make this worse by allowing 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 effectively.

To tackle these issues, homeowners could put in more insulation in the attic and make sure their home has adequate ventilation. If there’s concern the AC is the right size for the home, call an experienced HVAC company like Alpine Summit Heating & Cooling inspect the unit. A knowledgeable 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 Colder/Not Heating?

When the downstairs of your home is warm, but it’s extremely chilly upstairs, that makes for an ice-cold night for anyone whose bedrooms are on the upper floor. The most common reasons an upstairs not heating like it ought to are the insulation levels and the ductwork.

Inadequate insulation allows cold air to filter through the home’s attic or walls and contribute to heat loss, creating colder temperatures upstairs. It’s important to make sure your home has a deep, 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 disseminating conditioned air throughout different rooms of the building. However, problems with the ductwork can cause the upstairs being colder than the lower floor. A frequently reported explanation 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 go downstairs, which creates 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 story or they are poorly located, it can limit air circulation and cause inferior heating or cooling. Additionally, leaks or gaps in the ductwork can allow air loss, lowering the overall efficiency of the HVAC system and actually making the temperature difference worse.

To find out why the upstairs is colder than the downstairs, homeowners should hve their ductwork inspected by experienced HVAC pros like the team at Alpine Summit Heating & Cooling to identify any imbalances, leaks or inadequacies. Sealing leaks and installing more vents or adjusting existing ones can help increase airflow and ensure a more even temperature balance between the upstairs and downstairs.

Fixing the Hot or Cold Upstairs Problem?

If your upstairs is hotter or colder than the ground level of your home, an HVAC zoning system could be a great solution.

An HVAC zoning system breaks the home 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 particularly effective in situations where the upstairs of a multi-story home is quite hot or really cold while the main floor is comfortable. By setting up a  zoning system, homeowners can control the temperature independently in each zone, allowing them to address specific hot or cold spots effectively.

To find out more about an HVAC zoning system in Athol & Sandpoint, call Alpine Summit Heating & Cooling. 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 problem in multi-floor homes is when the upstairs is more humid than the lower level.

A typical reason for excess upper floor humidity is weak ventilation on the upper floor, which can result in greater 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 create excessive moisture in that level of a home.

To correct humidity problems, homeowners can improve ventilation by installing fans or opening windows to promote airflow. Appropriate levels of insulation  in the attic and better sealing the attic and walls can help protect against external moisture from entering the upstairs. Finding and repairing any leaks or plumbing issues is also imperative.

Depending on the levels of moisture found in the home, a whole-home dehumidifier could be another worthwhile tool to manage humidity on the upper and lower floors.