So the idea of zoning the system between upstairs and downstairs is very attractive. The same two degree difference will usually be sufficient in the Winter as well. The downstairs in the same situation would be closer to 75 degrees. One thing that will save you money is to keep your ceiling fans on throughout the house (including upstairs fans). The Uvalue for the downstairs ceiling and upstairs floor of the house is 1.0 ml, Solution steps . Is this a real question? When the temperature is at 75 downstairs, relative humidity is 53% and feels fine. I live in a 2 story single family ~1700 sq foot home where there is an uncomfortable 10 degree difference between the floors in the winter (too cold upstairs) and the summer (hot as hell upstairs). As hot air rises, the basement tends to be the coldest part of the house. What will happen is that the cooler air upstairs will naturally fall, cooling the downstairs level and creating a more balanced environment. Blocked Soffit Vents. The value for the downstairs floor of the house is 0.46 WC. Reason 1) there is a huge temp difference between the upstairs and downstairs, so the heat turns off when the upstairs is warm but the downstairs is still darn chilly.The reverse is true in summer--the AC is blasting because it's still hot up by the thermostat, but downstairs, we … The next tab is your fan, the fan should always be on automatic unless you have a temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs and you want to … We have a single thermostat on the main floor. Most two-story homes have an 8 to 10 degree temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs (because heat rises). Will NEST balance”. With a new baby in the house, the couple also worried about a draft near his crib. Q st is set as a function of the temperature difference between the downstairs and upstairs which is determined by the indoor heat gain difference, as shown in Eq. Only the system for the main living area has AC. If it's forced air AC, then check those upstairs vents. Hot air rises and cool air sinks. Stairwell is roughly 10' x 10' and open from lower floor to vaulted ceiling. So, throughout the day, your furnace is kept in check by that upstairs thermostat—to the detriment of the basement. I can tell you that if my AC would not cool my house by 2 degrees in 10 minutes on a real hot Texas day, my wife and kids would be telling me that I needed … If you have a dual thermostat system, it’s not going to work correctly. In the shoulder seasons, the temp is pretty even between the first and second floor at my house. The #1 reason that homeowners want Aeroseal Home Duct Sealing is because they experience uncomfortable rooms that are too hot and too cold or large temperature differences between the upstairs and downstairs floors. The following are four reasons why there may be a difference between the two floors. This is due to the fact that, by default, the heat will travel from lower to higher levels as it evaporates. But considering that there is a 10 ft x 20 ft (cross section) short circuit for air between the upstairs and downstairs, I would think that would be orders of magnitude higher than lots of little leaks. This is a problem beyond the fact that you feel cold in the basement. I am sure leaks may be a problem. Smart Home. Balancing temp between floors. Instead, what you should do is set the upstairs thermostat at your desired comfort temperature, and then set your downstairs thermostat one to two degrees warmer. • Td is the downstairs temperature. 1. If your preferred temperature in the summer is 72 degrees, then set the downstairs thermostat to 70 and the upstairs to 74. Vinegar Weight Loss Supplements, Difference Between Protein Powder And Dietary Supplement Helping Your Child Lose Weight Difference Between Protein Powder And … After, it was only 2 degrees F. The only downside was the white noise from the blower that you could hear in the vicinity of the return duct. Asked by … The water from the bath and sink hot taps also starts off hot but soon becomes tepid. We literally could not be happier with the system. Best Buy. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Their is a 3 – 5 degree difference between the upstairs and downstairs. Heating distribution is fine in our house, but the temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs can be 5 degrees when the air conditioning is in use. If you’re experiencing imbalanced temperatures between the upstairs and the downstairs you don’t have to live with it until spring brings warmer weather. Thermostat are best at regulating the … The thermostats should work together to create a balanced, uniform temperature in your home. There are two systems in this house, but they each do both the upstairs and downstairs on opposite sides of the house. Use the same two-degree difference in the winter, making sure the higher temperature is on the second story. There are several ways to increases the air flow. An attic fan will also help circulate the air, which in turn decreases the amount of hot air that reaches the second floor.Close some, but not all, supply vents on the first floor for better circulation to the second floor.Also, make sure nothing blocks your vents upstairs, and that your air … Outside temperature was showing between 88 – 91 degrees. snoopy7548 Diamond Member. After having the insulation installed in my attics, the temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs is negligible. During winter, set the downstairs temperature to the ideal level, and upstairs two degrees colder. This is especially important if you're living in a multi-story home where temperature differences between the upstairs and downstairs levels can easily grow. The good news is that you don’t have to accept a hot upstairs and cold downstairs as a fact of life. As the outside temp drops to 0-20 degrees (and some negative temps), the upstairs gets into the low 80s while downstairs is 68-70. Without further ado, here are the two main reasons for the temperature difference between the two levels of your home: Your Vent System Is Incapable of Serving Both Floors Simultaneously When your HVAC system is not able to maintain the same temperature upstairs and downstairs, you end up with these inconsistent temperatures between the two floors. Reason for Variation. The following are four reasons why there may be a difference between the two floors. In a standard two story house, there is a noticeable 8 to 10 degree difference in temperature between the downstairs and upstairs. And, truthfully, a 2-5 degree difference between floors isn't terrible. Product Details. Scientists have shown that heat rises. Protip: If you have sections of your house with consistently offset temperatures from each other, such as an upstairs and downstairs, place sensors equally between the two. The two zones can work together, as the cool air from upstairs will fall to your lower zone and create a comfortable temperature for both areas. Also, in the summer, my lower floor is an icebox without the lower thermostat turning on at all. The upstairs, with A/C, cool air will find it's way to the first floor. How to Balance Upstairs and Downstairs Temperatures | Hunker and the ideal solution would be to have a fan between floors to circulate that cold air upward during the summer and the stratified heated air downward in winter. Similarly, when you're cooling to hit a specific temp upstairs, some of the cooler air is sinking down. Heat rises, so if the thermostat is downstairs, then your upstairs is going to be a lot warmer. You have the attic, you have windows, you have upstairs with the heat rising. Use the same two-degree difference in the winter, making sure the higher temperature is on the second story. How many zones do I need? Well, it’s actually normal—to a certain degree. Scores of homeowners experience the same frustration during the hottest months of the year when their two-story homes get hot and humid upstairs while staying cool and airy downstairs. Talking to an HVAC expert can help you determine how many zones your home needs. This cycle of cooling down and heating up is one of the main reasons homes with forced-air heat never truly enjoy a consistent temperature, but there are some things you can do to minimize the upstairs/downstairs difference. Why? There’s two parts to how this system works: If the sleeping area is located upstairs, what will the customer do to the downstairs thermostat to maintain a 72 to 75 degree temperature upstairs? Also question is, should my thermostat be upstairs or downstairs? I live in a 2 story single family ~1700 sq foot home where there is an uncomfortable 10 degree difference between the floors in the winter (too cold upstairs) and the summer (hot as hell upstairs). Adjusting your thermostat will likely result in the downstairs becoming cold with the upstairs being comfortable, thus worsening the situation. Hope the post helped on understanding the difference in placing a dehumidifier downstairs or upstairs, and the influence on altitude on a dehumidifier unit. 3585. The result is that the downstairs is usually too cool and the upstairs never gets cool enough. The opposite happens in the winter. The downstairs unit runs nonstop trying to get the temperature up, while the upstairs is getting all the warm air from below. The thermostats should work together to create a balanced, uniform temperature in your home. I purchased my Ecobee3 for my primary residence, which is a 1650 sq ft house, no garage. Additionally, larger ranch homes generally have a big temperature difference between one end of the house and the other (due to the distance of the duct runs). You also have the attic upstairs, so you have these forces you are going against. I have a 1.5 ton system upstairs (18 yrs old), and a 3 or 4 ton system downstairs (4 years old). Dusting reduced from 1x/per week to 1x/per 3 weeks. If your preferred temperature in the summer is 72 degrees, then set the downstairs thermostat to 70 and the upstairs to 74. (Of)if it gets colder than 70 downstairs, with the upstairs unit set at 70, raise the upstairs thermostat by 2 degrees, to 72, 74 until you have it … With the warm weather season in full swing in Ohio, it’s important to have your central air conditioning working as efficiently as possible. It is very common for there to be a 10º temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs. In most cases, the upstairs is warmer than the downstairs because you’re setting the thermostats to the same temperature. Like we said, your taxes pay for this program so let’s get some of your money back! The other companies didn't even offer a solution for dealing with the temperature differences between upstairs and downstairs, while cool air made several suggestions and offered different packages at different price points. The warm air will naturally rise and push cooler air downstairs. It means, if your upstairs is programmed to 70, your downstairs unit, will not have to run as much. A home with this problem is NOT a comfortable place to live. You can temporarily go up and down on that temperature and put it in or you can have it follow schedule as this one is now. In fact, the difference in temperature between your basement and your upstairs can be 20 degrees. Downstairs of course, cold air falls, and you don’t have an attic downstairs. For example, if your preferred temperature in the Summer is 74°F, set the downstairs thermostat to 73°F, and the upstairs to 75°F, in effect bracketing your desired set point. When you're heating the downstairs, the hot air is rising and filling the space above. The circulating mode is what makes it the perfect furnace for 2 story homes. In a two-story home there is an 8-10 degree difference in temperature between the upstairs and downstairs. Most ranch-style homes have an 8-12 degree difference in temperature between one end of the home and the other. Additionally, thermostats regulate the room they are in to the desired temperature. Before adding the booster the temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs was 10-15 degrees F on the hottest and coldest days. Maybe you've noticed that rooms upstairs are very often warmer than downstairs. Crank it down anywhere from 65 to 68 degrees. Single story homes have an advantage over two-story homes when it comes to temperature imbalances. 1. Because heat rises. We have the brandrup internal liner which helps but still much colder. Indoor air that's warm and moist (humid) is less dense than dry air, which makes it rise.. Problem: Most two-story homes have an 8-12 degree difference in temperature between upstairs and downstairs. Right now it's summer time and it has been raining daily with the temperature in the 80's during the day. This difference will affect how hot each floor is and consequently cause your home air conditioning unit not to compensate properly for the heat upstairs. There are some easy solutions that could provide a significant improvement to more than the temperature difference. During winter, you can go with 66 degrees upstairs and 68 degrees downstairs. I am sure leaks may be a problem. Most places only give 2 years of labor warranty, while this company gives 5. Use the same two -degree difference in the winter, making sure the higher temperature is on the second story . Temperature differential between upstairs and downstairs room = degree. About 20 minutes out of every hours 24/7 the blower motor in this variable furnace will be set to come on to circulate about 500 cubic feet of air per minute. …. Solution: Zone control! Tips for Keeping Your Upstairs As Cool As Your Downstairs During the summer months, the upstairs of a two-story home is often significantly warmer than the downstairs, even when the air conditioning is running. This is a common complaint from homeowners with forced-air HVAC systems with a single thermostat located on the first floor. How hot does it need to be upstairs before opening the basement door will actually heat the basement? This lack of insulation can lead to decreased indoor air quality, moisture exposure, and mold. We have a single thermostat on the main floor. You cannot prevent heat rising and causing this temperature change. The result: a comfortable home where there are not great temperature differences between upstairs and downstairs or between the living room and the bedrooms. Also, with a new baby boy in the house, they were concerned about a draft near his crib. That makes about 2200 Btu/hr in “cold” (heat load) being transported from upstairs to downstairs, and vice versa 2200 Btu/hr of heat rises from the first floor to the second floor. If your preferred temperature in the summer is 72 degrees, then set the downstairs thermostat to 70 and the upstairs to 74. By increasing the air to the upstairs you may cool it off more. If your HVAC system in your home is set up for two separate zones, then chances are you should have a thermostat located on different floors. Most people who have two thermostats assume that they need to set the upstairs and the downstairs at the same temperature for better results and cost efficiency, however that is not true. If your upstairs already tends to overheat relative to the downstairs, it will STILL overheat by this same amount regardless of the placement or number of thermostats. For the winter: Invert this process, which means the bottom floor should be your set temperature and the floor above it should be two degrees cooler. Called British Gas to check the boiler and they say it is working correctly and they checked the temperature difference of running hot water downstairs and upstairs and there is an 18 degree difference! Reason 1) there is a huge temp difference between the upstairs and downstairs, so the heat turns off when the upstairs is warm but the downstairs is still darn chilly.The reverse is true in summer--the AC is blasting because it's still hot up by the thermostat, but downstairs, we … Blocked Soffit Vents. Adjusting your thermostat will likely result in the downstairs becoming cold with the upstairs being comfortable, thus worsening the situation. : (6) Q st = F (Δ T) = F (T in, 1-T in, 2) = F ' Δ Q gain = F ' Δ Q IHL, Δ Q AC, Δ Q solar, Δ Q wall where Δ Q gain is the heat gain difference between There's an 8' 7" height difference between upstairs and downstairs. When both floors are set to the same temperature, the first one is going to reach the set temperature faster than your second floor. As a result, two story homes are commonly cooler downstairs than they are upstairs. ... A common example of this is when one thermostat controls the air conditioning for both upstairs and downstairs. If you have a three story home, a one-degree difference should work. Zone control systems give you the power to create different temperature zones in your home, which would allow you to bump the thermostat up a few degrees downstairs, while dedicating less heat to the upstairs (or more air conditioning in the summer). As air heats, the density decreases. Less dense air rises above colder more dense air. Meanwhile, the cooler air is sinking. During the summer, homes can experience above 7 degree temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs. The system is working beautifully. Difference between upstairs and downstairs temperature used Compressor On Off from ECE 581 at California State University, Northridge If a whole new duct system does not fit into your upcoming schedule or budget, here are some ways you can help to make the temperature difference between your cold downstairs and hot upstairs not as great: 2. To balance temperature upstairs and down stairs should airflow through registers be roughly equivalent? At CK Builders, you get a commitment to quality, craftsmanship and “new-school” technical expertise that … To is the outside temperature. Any additional upstairs/downstairs circulation we can get is a good thing. Setting it to 72 in the winter leaves the upstairs around 65 and a sole bedroom in the front corner of our house is a few degrees cooler than that. I still think that because you described what seems to be a dramatic temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs that there is a baffle direction issue. 2 story home, 1 thermostat, downstairs is always – Q&A – Best Buy. I still think that because you described what seems to be a dramatic temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs that there is a baffle direction issue. As you suspected, the temperature difference between the upstairs and downstairs has almost completely disappeared, and everything is so quiet you can hardly tell it’s on. Reason for Variation. Estimated energy savings = $46/month. While the physics of heat rising is a big part of the issue, many homes can see comfort improvement with targeted solutions. Temperature : the dehumidifier should be placed on the floor with the least temperature (the coldest floor) in the house, whether upstairs or downstairs. During the winter, this isn't as much of a problem, because you want a warmer home. Thermostats are most effective in the room they are installed. One is to have a HVAC Tech evaluate and possibly make changes in the duct work. "Freezing downstairs" was part of the problem. Upstairs you have more of a load than downstairs since heat rises. But considering that there is a 10 ft x 20 ft (cross section) short circuit for air between the upstairs and downstairs, I would think that would be orders of magnitude higher than lots of little leaks. So here’s a good rule of thumb: If your second floor’s relative humidity* is 1–5% greater than your bottom floor, that’s normal. Correcting a 15 degree F temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs. 2200sf, 1100 up, and 1100 down. Your top floor will reach the temperature you want, and the colder air will fall to the lower floors, cooling them as well and creating a pretty equalized internal temperature. Setting it to 72 in the winter leaves the upstairs around 65 and a sole bedroom in the front corner of our house is a few degrees cooler than that. Let us go over this program with you and see if it is the right fit. How to Make the Temperature More Balanced on Both Floors. After all, upstairs has the windows, downstairs does not. This is the great part!! You may wish to use the following symbols: • Ty is the upstairs temperature, in °C. However, if the AC is running to cool the upstairs down to 75, the downstairs will be between 65-68 degrees. With a two-story house full of aluminum windows, Bill and Kathleen were constantly battling the drastic temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs. Once the desired temperature is reached in that zone, the thermostat will alert the dampers to close and stop the air flow. I'd like to take that further and zone the upstairs into main living area and bedrooms, and do the same downstairs for a total of 4 zones (the bedrooms all stay roughly the same temperature as each-other.) If it is, keeping the air temp at 80 or above will have some effect on your downstairs temperature. For a two-story home, this will translate to 78 degrees upstairs and 80 degrees downstairs in the summer. I believe the problem is that the vents upstairs on the 4 radiators are all Gorton D. Ecobee SmartSensors collect temperature and occupancy data for a room. The temperature difference between upstairs and downstairs can be anywhere from 4 to 10 degrees. Jan 1, 2005 6,584 3,461 136. Coincidentally, cold air “falls.” It will always be harder to keep your second floor cool compared to your first floor. Usually around two degrees colder for both upstairs and downstairs on opposite sides of the cooler is... 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