Who has central A/C? Do you find it doesn't always make the upstairs too cool?

Question

Obviously, through grade school, I learned that heat rises, but it is a HUGE difference between upstairs and downstairs. Since this is my first home with Central A/C, I am not familiar with all the ins and out of it.

By the way, I was contemplating shutting off the vents in our bedroom and putting a window unit in, but we have those slider windows, not the "up and down" type. I am sure they make those kind of window air conditioners, but I am also sure they cost a pretty penny.

Answer 1

I have a similar problem as I have a tri-level and the vents on the lower level are in the ceiling... All of the cool air just drops out of those vents and isn't pushed to the upper level through their vents... It has a cool scientific name, but I don't remember it off the top of my head, lol.

Here are some suggestions...

1) Close the vents in your lower level. This will force the cooler air through the upper vents and it will naturally drift down to the lower lever. (Heat rises, cool falls)

2) See about having an attic fan installed... Not too pricey, but will help draw the heat out in the summer.

3) Have vent fans put into your ventilation pipes. They give longer runs (or lower pressure runs) of vent a little boost. They have built-in thermostats. The better ones are activated by your furnace and this will force more cool air upstairs in the summer and warm air in the cooler months.

You can always put a unit in your window, but then you really aren't getting the full benefits of c/a.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Don't shut the vents, especially during this time when your a/c is working it's hardest.
Your downstairs is probably more exposed to the afternoon sun. Consider light filtering blinds/shades or filmy coverings for those windows to block the light.
Keep your window coverings closed during the hottest part of the day, it will keep the cool air in better.
Use a ceiling fan or floor fan to better circulate the cool air downstairs. Check to see which way the "vents" are pointed in the duct system. We found several that were pointed up to the ceiling so the air wasn't pushed down into the room.
Change your a/c filter every 30 days and don't buy filters that are way cheap ($1).

Answer 3

I had an attic fan installed to help with that problem. After the sun goes down and the air cools, I turn on the attic fan. All of the hot air thats under the roof is pulled out & replaced by cool air. Depending on how cool it is out side, I might leave it on for as much as a half hour & resume using my A/C. It really helps cool the upstairs because the hottest areas of the home are now cooled. I also do this in the mornings. I live in NC, so often times it's cooler outside in the AM than inside.

Answer 4

Yes, heat rises and stays, too. Check with the local A/C expert to see if your unit is large enough to handle it, evidently not. If you don't want to get another unit, I suggest fans to carry the cool from the downstairs. Window units work great, you don't need a special type, just take the slider window out, place the unit in the window and board up the open space. It will darken your room, but that's good for coolness anyways...and remove it for the winter if your winters are cold where you live. It just sounds like the unit you have isn't powerful enough...Good Luck.

Answer 5

I have to agree with Barbara R on this one. Your unit may not be large enough to handle the size of your house. My son is in HVAC and finds this to be a problem in many homes. Most were put in 15 or more years ago and are working double time to try and keep up with a over sized house. Today, the units are much more efficient and there might be a need for you to get two units, instead of one...it may sound expensive, but in the long run, could be very cost effective. Find a reputable company, the prices are all over the board. My son is an independent and can undercut many of the big boys by almost a third...good luck, stay cool.

Answer 6

The reason why your upstairs is not as cool as your downstairs is because you only have "single zone" central air. It's the cheapest kind of central air. "Two zone" air is what is best. That way, you can adjust the temperature accordingly so that the upstairs and downstairs maintain equal temperature. The upstairs area is one of the zones and you'd of course be turning the temperature lower there because heat naturally rises. The downstairs would be the other zone and you wouldn't have to turn it down as far as the upstairs cause it would be naturally cooler on the first floor. It has NOTHING to do with the unit being too small. It has to do with it being SINGLE ZONE air.

Answer 7

open upstairs vents, close downstairs. daytime leave bedrrom doors open air will work its way down. one hour before bed close bedroom doors to cool upstairs. keep them closed durring night.


In winter switch the vents.