Your entire home should be a refuge that’s warm and comfy in the cold months and cool and comfortable in the summer. However, owners of some multi-level residences find the upper floor is stubbornly hotter or colder than the main floor.

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 due to 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 Street Heating and Cooling 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 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 main floor. Poor insulation in the attic or roof can exacerbate this issue by letting heat transfer from the roof into the upstairs rooms.

Another common reason is that the air conditioner is not powerful enough to cool the entire home, causing it to have difficulty cooling the upstairs sufficiently.

To deal with these issues, homeowners could install extra insulation in the attic and make sure their home has proper ventilation. If there’s a question of whether the air conditioner is the proper size for the home, call an experienced HVAC company like Street Heating and Cooling inspect the unit. A knowledgeable professional also can help select a unit that's better suited for your home if you are considering 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 could result in a very chilly night for anyone whose bedrooms are on the upper floor. The most common explanations for an upstairs not heating like it is supposed to are the insulation levels and the ductwork.

Inadequate insulation enables cold air to filter through the home’s attic or walls and contribute to heat loss, resulting in 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 critical role in disseminating conditioned air throughout different areas of the building. However, problems with the ductwork can contribute to the upstairs being colder than the main level. A frequently reported cause for this is improper airflow balance. The ducts may not be the correct size or configuration, which results in an uneven distribution of air between the floors. This can cause more warm air to flow downstairs, which creates insufficient airflow—which is the heated air—on the higher floors.

Another factor with ductwork is the location of the supply and return vents. If there are fewer vents on the upper floor or they aren't well installed, it can reduce air circulation and cause inadequate heating or cooling. Additionally, 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 examined by skilled experts like the team at Street Heating and Cooling to identify any imbalances, leaks or inadequacies. Sealing leaks and installing additional vents or adjusting existing ones can help enhance airflow and ensure a better 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 home into different 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 helpful in instances where the upstairs of a multi-story home is quite hot or extremely cold while the main floor is comfortable. By installing a  zoning system, homeowners can manage the temperature independently in each zone, allowing them to address specific hot or cold spots effectively.

To discover more about an HVAC zoning system in Rapid City, call Street Heating and 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 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 issue in multi-floor homes is when the higher levels are more humid than the first floor.

A typical cause 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, insufficient insulation or sealing in the attic or walls may allow warm, humid air from outside infiltrate the upstairs rooms. And, if there are any leaks or plumbing problems on the upper floor, that can also create extra moisture in that level of a home.

To fix humidity problems, homeowners can increase ventilation by getting 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 extremely important.

Depending on the levels of moisture found in the home, a whole-home dehumidifier could be another helpful tool to manage humidity in your home.