Do you spend every night tossing and turning because your bedroom is 10 degrees hotter than the rest of the house? Maybe you even end up sleeping on the couch some nights to escape the heat.
A hot second floor is a common problem for houses in central New York, especially during the summer. Luckily, there are some easy fixes.
The first step toward solving the problem is finding out what’s causing it. Then, we can implement the right fix so you can stay cool and comfortable. Here are five of the most common causes of a hot upstairs and how to fix them.
1. You Don’t Have Enough Attic Insulation
Most people think of attic insulation as something that keeps a house warm in the winter, but it’s equally as important to keeping it cool in the summer. Attic insulation works by slowing down heat transfer into and out of your home. If you don’t have enough attic insulation, heat will beat down on your roof in the summer, transfer into your attic, and then make its way down into the bedrooms below, warming them up. Upgrading your attic insulation will lead to a more stable and consistent indoor temperature. We typically recommend spray foam insulation for attics, which is a highly effective, long-lasting insulation material.
2. Your Attic Insulation Is Damaged
Damaged attic insulation is just as bad as not having insulation at all. When insulation gets wet, ripped, or starts to deteriorate it will not work properly and leave you with the same problem’s as an under-insulated attic. This is especially true if there are gaps in your attic insulation. If one part of your attic is well-insulated and another part is not, the under-insulation section will allow heat to move down into the room directly below, creating hot spots and temperature inconsistencies. Replacing old or damaged insulation with new insulation materials will solve this problem.
3. Your Attic Isn’t Air Sealed
Most attics are full of small gaps and openings, called air leaks, that let air move freely into and out of your living spaces. The spaces around your attic hatch, recessed lighting, wiring holes, and furnace flue are common sources of air leaks in an attic. In the summer, hot air from your attic will travel down through these openings and into the rooms below, heating them up. You can solve this problem by insulating and air sealing your attic. Insulation and air sealing work together to keep heat and hot air from seeping into your living spaces.
4. You’re Using Window ACs
Window air conditioners are an affordable way to add temporary cooling to your home, but they have some serious drawbacks. One of the most common problems with window air conditioners is that they don’t cool consistently, leaving you with temperature inconsistencies from one room to another. Replacing your window units with ductless mini split heat pumps will create a more comfortable and consistent temperature throughout your entire home.
5. Your Central Air Conditioner Is Old & Inefficient
Sometimes, the problem is simple—your AC is just not working that great anymore. All HVAC equipment loses efficiency as it ages and an old central AC system may not be able to keep up with your cooling needs. Installing a new, high-efficiency central AC or a ducted heat pump will give you more powerful cooling to keep your entire home comfortable.
We Can Fix Your Hot Upstairs
Ready to fix your hot second floor for good? Call Energy Savers today. We are a leading HVAC and insulation contractor in central New York with over 20 years of experience uncovering and resolving comfort issues in local homes. We’ll find out what’s causing the temperature inconsistencies in your home and recommend the most effective solution. Our crews arrive on time, work diligently, and always clean up before they leave!
