Heat rises. You know this is true because each night when you travel from the first level of your home to the second, you are hit with a wall of heat that almost takes your breath away. Falling asleep can be difficult because you are never quite comfortable.
Perhaps you’ve even tried different methods to try and cool your upstairs bedrooms. You’ve turned the temperature down hours before bedtime. You take a cold shower right before bed. You turn off the air conditioner downstairs, thinking less heat will rise. Nothing really solves the problem, though.
Don’t worry! We have helped many homeowners find the right solution to their indoor cooling problems. The tips below are steps you can take today.
Darken the Rooms
The windows in each room, when uncovered, allow sunlight to shine through. While this can help save on electricity, it also heats the room. If you are having a hard time cooling the upstairs bedrooms, this may be one reason why.
Pull down the shades or shut the curtains in the rooms you do not use when the sun is shining. You may even want to purchase blackout curtains to help on the hottest Texas days.
Start at the Top
Your attic is the highest point in your home. If your attic is hot, your upstairs bedrooms will be hot. The solution? Insulation. Without proper insulation, when your heat rises to the top of your home, it gets trapped in the attic. Once this happens, you can expect the upper level of your home to be warmer than the lower levels.
Our HVAC technicians can work with you to create an insulation plan for your attic. They can also help you figure out if cold air is leaking from other spots in your home, like around windows and doors.
Check Windows and Doors
If your curtains are blowing in the wind, but your windows are closed, you may have a sealing problem. If you can feel air coming into your home from the outside around any of your doors and windows, this also means your indoor air is escaping to the outdoors.
When this happens, your HVAC system must work harder to cool your home, costing you more money, and preventing any of that cold air from reaching your upstairs bedrooms. Because this is one of the simplest issues to discover, you will know quickly what needs to be done to correct it.
Clean, Clean and Clean
First, clean your vents and registers in your upstairs bedrooms. If a rug covers them, uncover them. If they are clogged with debris, unclog them. Ensuring they are clean means cool air can travel to the right places.
Second, clean or replace your filter. The dirtier your filter, the harder it is for your HVAC system to perform.
Finally, clean the outdoor unit of your HVAC system. It’s been sitting there all winter, in the elements. While they are durable, tiny twigs and leaves can find their way inside the metal structure. When this happens, your air conditioner can malfunction, meaning no air will make its way upstairs.
Add Fans
Occasionally, HVAC systems are not installed using a plan that appropriately directs airflow throughout your home. Maybe the ductwork does not cover enough area. Perhaps there are not enough vents or registers. Whatever the problem, the air will need help getting to other areas of your home. You can do this by using fans to push the air further, like up your stairs. You can use fans on the second level too.
Add Additional HVAC
Another solution to cooling upstairs bedrooms is to install a separate, smaller HVAC system explicitly designed for your upper area. Our technicians at Gentry Heating and Air can assess your upstairs area and fit the space with the right unit. This can save you money in the long run because your main level unit does not have to work as hard to cool your entire home. You may even choose to leave one off while using the other.
You don’t have to struggle with cooling your upstairs bedrooms. We have the solution for you. Give us a call!
