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

This could simply be caused by the fact that most thermostats in a house are on the main 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 caused by issues with your HVAC system. Some of these difficulties can be fixed fairly quickly while others might call for 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 getting hotter than the downstairs can be traced to several factors. For starters, 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 permitting heat transfer from the roof into the upstairs rooms.

Another common reason is that the air conditioner is not strong enough to cool the entire home, causing it to struggle to cool the upstairs sufficiently.

To address these issues, homeowners could install additional insulation in the attic and make sure their home has adequate ventilation. If there’s concern the air conditioning unit is the ideal size for the home, call an experienced HVAC company like Alpine Summit Heating & Cooling 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 Colder/Not Heating?

When the downstairs of your home is warm, but it’s extremely chilly upstairs, that could result in a very chilly night for anyone whose bedrooms are on the upper floor. The most prevalent causes of an upstairs not heating like it should 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, causing colder temperatures on higher floors. It’s essential to make sure your home has a deep, level layer of insulation in the attic and appropriate 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, problems with the ductwork can cause the upstairs being colder than the downstairs. A frequently reported reason for this is improper airflow balance. The ducts may not be the proper size or design, resulting 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 higher floors.

Another factor with 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 reduce air circulation and cause inadequate heating or cooling. Also, leaks or gaps in the ductwork can lead to air loss, lowering the overall efficiency of the HVAC system and exacerbating the temperature difference.

To find out why the upstairs is colder than the downstairs, homeowners should hve their ductwork checked by skilled experts like the team at Alpine Summit Heating & Cooling to identify any imbalances, leaks or inadequacies. Sealing leaks and adding more vents or adjusting existing ones can help enhance 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 lower floors 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 control the heating or cooling of each zone.

This system can be very useful in situations where the upstairs of a multi-story home is too hot or really cold while the main floor is comfortable. By implementing a  zoning system, homeowners can control the temperature independently in each zone, allowing them to address specific hot or cold spots effectively.

To learn more about an HVAC zoning system in Athol, call Alpine Summit Heating & Cooling. 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 it So Humid Upstairs?

In addition to the upper story being hotter or colder than the rest of the house, another challenge in multi-floor homes is when the upstairs is more humid than the lower level.

A typical cause for excess upper floor humidity is poor ventilation on the upper floor, which can result in increased humidity levels. As is often the case with temperature differences between floors, inadequate insulation or sealing in the attic or walls may allow warm, humid air from outdoors infiltrate the upstairs rooms. Plus, if there are any leaks or plumbing concerns on the upper floor, that can also create extra moisture in that level of a home.

To deal with humidity problems, homeowners can improve ventilation by using fans or opening windows to promote airflow. Proper 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 imperative.

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.