Your entire home should be a refuge that’s warm and toasty in the winter 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 rooms on ground level.

This could merely be caused by the fact that 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 they 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 resolved somewhat quickly while others might require more extensive and costly fixes. Here, the team at Precision Mechanical 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 chalked up to several factors. First, heat rises, so it’s common for the second floor of a home to get hotter than the ground floor. Not enough 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 big enough to cool the entire home, causing it to have difficulty cooling the upstairs sufficiently.

To address these issues, homeowners could add more insulation in the attic and make sure their home has sufficient ventilation. If there’s a possibility the AC is the right size for the home, call an experienced HVAC company like Precision Mechanical inspect the unit. A qualified professional also can help locate a unit that's better suited for your home if you require air conditioning installation or replacement.

Why Is My Upstairs So Cold/Not Heating?

When the downstairs of your home is warm, but it’s very cold upstairs, that could result in a frosty night for anyone whose bedrooms are on the upper floor. The most frequent causes of an upstairs not heating like it is supposed 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, causing colder temperatures upstairs. It’s important to make sure your home has a solid, 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 fundamental role in disseminating conditioned air throughout different locations of the building. However, troubles with the ductwork can result in the upstairs being colder than the main level. A frequently reported cause for this is improper airflow balance. The ducts may not be the right size or in the appropriate layout, creating 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 upper story.

Another possible issue with the ductwork is the placement of the supply and return vents. If there are fewer vents on the upper story or they are poorly located, it can restrict air circulation and cause substandard heating or cooling. Additionally, leaks or gaps in the ductwork can lead to air loss, reducing the overall efficiency of the HVAC system and making the temperature difference more pronounced.

To figure out why the upstairs is colder than the downstairs, homeowners should hve their ductwork checked by trusted professionals like the team at Precision Mechanical to identify any imbalances, leaks or inadequacies. Sealing leaks and putting in new 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 house, an HVAC zoning system could be a useful solution.

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

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

To learn more about an HVAC zoning system in Rapid City, call Precision Mechanical. 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 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 downstairs.

A typical cause for excess upper floor humidity is poor ventilation on the upper floor, which can cause 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. And, if there are any leaks or plumbing concerns on the upper floor, that can also cause extra moisture in that area of a home.

To manage 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 protect against external moisture from entering the upstairs. Identifying 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 the residence.