There are a few different reasons why you might find your second floor too hot and many have to do with how well your HVAC system is functioning. Not only can checking on potential issues with your HVAC system keep your second floor from being too hot, but you might also uncover more serious problems than can be indicated by uneven heating and cooling.
In fact, an unbalanced HVAC system can be a telltale sign of many serious HVAC issues. If you’re experiencing uneven heating and cooling, especially if it’s more than just that floor or a particular room, it’s worth having a professional look at your heating & air conditioning system.
What Makes a Second Floor Too Hot?
The first thing you want to determine is whether it really is the whole second floor that is too hot, or if it’s just one room that is the problem. If you only have a problem with one or a few rooms on the second floor becoming too hot, it could be an issue more local than a true HVAC problem. Check to make sure vents are open and not blocked by furniture or other items. It is also possible that the room is just in a less well-insulated part of the house (such as over the garage) or that the room takes a lot more sunlight than other rooms in the house. Even a great HVAC system can have trouble with lots of sun, leaving your second floor too hot.
Common HVAC Problems
If the problem is your HVAC system, however, you will want to get that addressed quickly. Uneven heating can be a sign of serious problems as well as common malfunctions. The next step is to determine if there is something obviously wrong with your unit.
Leaky ducts are one of the most common culprits when it comes to uneven heating and a second floor that is too hot. These are relatively easy to fix but can cost you a lot in energy loss and cause wear on your HVAC system if left unaddressed. This can also be a sign of parts wearing out or your air conditioner may simply be too old to keep up with the size of your house. In this case you will need to upgrade parts, or perhaps even consider air conditioner replacement if there’s enough that needs to be updated and low efficiency is driving up your energy bills.
Trouble Cooling Your Whole Home
Another issue that can cause your second floor to become too hot is an HVAC system that is not properly sized for your home. A system that is too small will have trouble heating the whole home, and sometimes single zone setups can have the same effect, leaving your second floor too hot.
Find Out What is Causing Your Second Floor to Get Too Hot
To make sure you have the right size AC, get in touch with our heating & air conditioning service team at Galmiche & Sons in St. Louis today, and we can assess whether your HVAC system is properly sized for the heat load in your home.
From there you have a few options. Again, you can consider a replacement if the problem is bad enough. You can also use additions like ductless air conditioners to balance out the temperature in your home.
