Can anyone offer suggestions as to how I can get the upstairs cooler, the ac works great on the first floor but it stays too darn hot in the bedrooms upstairs. I have a 2,300 sq ft colonial.
Thanks for any help! Tom W.
You need better air circulation and/or better returns upstairs. Close off the registers downstairs about 50% to force more cold air upstairs. You may want to check the blower speed also. If it is a dual or variable speed, kick it up a notch or two.
Attic insulation and a power vent /fan to move the hot air out of the attic space. That usually helps alot.
Put the furnace fan to 'on' rather than 'auto'.
Consider room airconditioners for upstairs. They are inexpensive. New ones are efficient. On some days, you may need to only run the window units to cool upstairs. If you come home to a hot house after being away for a while, running the window units and the central a/c will cool the house faster. If you sleep upstairs, and you like it cool at night, you could keep the bedroom colder and not have to cool the entire house that much. When we added two window units upstairs, we used the central a/c a lot less and our total electric bill was significantly lower.
Lena
Do you have a separate unit for upstairs, or is there one unit servicing both floors???
and ... knowing nothing about your situation from your description (sorry), sealing, insulation, shading and attic ventilation are enormously more energy-efficient than cranking up the a/c compressor.
J
Check window leaks.... If you have an attic access panel on the top floor, seal it.
Seal any draft around receptacles, switches ... sounds a bit much, I have seen air drafts on outside walls at receptacles.
Some times insulation may be lacking or "missing" in the attic.
Oren
"My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes."
And we now nothing about the cooling season where you live.
Gulf Coast and Desert Southwest have RADICALLY different cooling needs than Maine, North Dakota, Montana.......
Desert S/W gets months worth of 90+ with low humidity, Gulf Coast gets months worth of 90+ temp 90+ humidity,
More insulation in the attic over the upstairs bedrooms, window film/shades/curtains to cut radiant heat into the bedrooms will all help.
Closing off doorways to the downstairs at night will keep cool air upstairs,
And yes, depending on where you live, adding window units MAY prove to be economic.
Biggest two things that help us are:
Doug
Is there a return upstairs? I had a 2 story house w/ the same problem and the only return was downstairs. The A/C guy came and installed a return duct upstairs, plus zone thermostat and controller, and it made a BIG difference
steve
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