how to keep a two story house cool without air conditioning

• Adjust the Dampers. Many HVAC systems have dampers, which are platelike structures inside the ductwork, usually close to the furnace.
• Insulate Your Home. An effective way to help cool a two-story house is by adding insulation to prevent heat transfer. ...
• Keep Air Moving. Constant airflow helps you feel more comfortable, even if your upper floor has a higher temperature.
• Reduce Heat Production. Lots of everyday activities create heat that can make your upper floor feel even more uncomfortable.
Add Supplemental Cooling. If your main HVAC system and fans aren't enough to keep your upstairs cool, consider adding supplemental cooling options.
Upgrade Your HVAC System. Replacing an older HVAC system that can't keep up with your cooling needs can make you feel more comfortable and can lower your utility bills.

How to keep a house cool without air conditioning?

The 18 Best Ways to Keep a House Cool Without AC. 1 1. Vent Your Attic. Attics take the brunt of the heat our homes face during the summer, according to Scott Trento of QuietCool Whole House Fans: “Your ... 2 2. Insulate Attic Walls. 3 3. Opt for a White Roof. 4 4. Place Box Fans in Windows. 5 5. Invest in the Right Ceiling Fans. More items

How can two-story house air conditioning make your life easier?

Smart thermostats, sensors, and zoning can significantly help in this regard. While the second floor is typically hotter due to several reasons mentioned above, the two-story house air conditioning tips will make your life easier and cooler.

How do you keep a two story house cool in summer?

An effective way to help cool a two-story house is by adding insulation to prevent heat transfer. Proper home insulation helps your entire home feel cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter by helping to regulate the temperature. You can add blown-in insulation to walls that are already finished.

Why is it so hard to cool a two story house?

This is often an issue with two-story homes, since warm air always rises to the second floor. A two-story house is more difficult to cool than a one-story house, but it can be done. And there are a couple of ways to do it.

How can I cool my upstairs of a 2 story house without AC?

Following are some of the ways to keep your upstairs cool without AC.Insulate the Attic. ... Ventilate the Attic. ... Consider a White Roof. ... Block the Sun. ... Limit the Use of Appliances That Generate Too Much Heat. ... Replace Incandescent Lights With Compact Fluorescent Lamps. ... Turn on Fans on the Second Floor to Increase Airflow.More items...•

How can I cool my upstairs of a 2 story house?

How Do I Keep My Home's Second Floor Cool?Install an Attic Fan or Vent. ... Keep Your Doors Open. ... Keep Blinds and Drapes Closed. ... Partially Close First-Floor Registers. ... Turn the Fan From "Auto" to "On" ... Install Ceiling Fans. ... Service Your Air Conditioner Before Summer Starts. ... Check Your Filters Regularly.More items...•

How do you keep an upstairs room cool without AC?

Best portable cooling devicesClose the Curtains During the Day, and Use Dark Ones.Open Windows and Interior Doors at Night.Place Ice or Cool Water in Front of a Fan.Adjust Your Ceiling Fan According to the Season.Sleep Low.Let the Night Air in.Upgrade All of Your Incandescent, Fluorescent, and Other Light Bulbs to LED.More items...•

Can you cool a house without air conditioning?

Windows can let in about 25 per cent of summer heat. To cool down a room without AC, make sure to block the heat with shades or blinds during the sunniest hours of the day.

How do I keep my 2 story house cool in the summer?

10 Ways to Cool Down Your Second FloorBlock the sun. ... Insulate and ventilate. ... Repair your ductwork. ... Reduce your use of lights and appliances. ... Change air filters. ... Adjust the fan setting on your thermostat. ... Create climate zones. ... Fire up the (ceiling and floor) fans.More items...

How do you regulate the temperature of a two-story house?

The general rule of thumb for a two-story home is that you should set each thermostat two degrees Fahrenheit apart from the other. During the summer, when your AC is running, set the upper floor at the temperature you actually want in your home. Then set each floor underneath that to two degrees warmer.

How do you cool down a hot upstairs?

Simple Fixes to Help Cool Your UpstairsProperly open vents, don't block return air supply. Let the air flow! ... Install lightly colored curtains or drapes. ... Keep heat-generating appliances off. ... Run a fan (when you're in the room) ... Keep your HVAC fan set to 'on' ... Inspect your ductwork. ... Check your insulation.

Does putting ice in front of a fan work?

2. Use a bucket of ice. According to the GHI, placing a bucket of ice in front of a fan as a homemade AC unit is just as effective. 'As the air passes over the ice it will be chilled and will circulate refreshingly cold air around the room,' they explain.

How do you deal with hot weather without air conditioning?

How to stay cool without air conditioningTake a cold shower or bath. ... Use cold washrags on your neck or wrists.Use box fans. ... Close your curtains or blinds. ... Sleep in breathable linens. ... Sleep in the basement. ... Don't refrigerate or freeze blankets or clothing. ... Close the doors of unused rooms.More items...•

What is alternative for air conditioner?

Fans. Whether you go for a table model, a pedestal-mounted fan or a fan that is suspended from the ceiling, the (good old) fan is an efficient cooler and a simple alternative to an air conditioning unit.

What is the most cost efficient way to cool a home?

Close your vents and run a fan If your home is multilevel, remember that heat rises and cold air falls, Schraeder says. Thus, one of the easiest ways to reduce waste in your cooling bill is to shut your lower-level AC vents and open the upper-level vents.

How do you passively cool a house?

Passive ventilation uses doors, windows, opening skylights and clerestory windows, vents, louvres and other openings to let fresh air into and through your home. This helps to provide cooling, as well as removing moisture and airborne pollutants.

Do you need 2 AC units for a 2 story house?

Two units allow for an easier time balancing the desired temperature in your home. Generally, one area of your home will be warmer or more difficult to cool than another. In a two-story home, the upstairs area is often warmer, as warm air rises. Having two AC units in your home can help balance out the temperature.

How do I increase the airflow on my second floor?

How to Increase Airflow to Second Floor?Keep Air Conditioner Running in Fan Mode. ... Install a Ceiling Fan. ... Increase the Size of Return Vents. ... Increase Number of Vents. ... Clear the Vents. ... Close Vents on Lower Floors. ... Go for Ductless Air Conditioning. ... Get a Zoned HVAC System.

Why is my upstairs so much hotter than downstairs?

Cooler air settles into the lower areas of the house (usually where the thermostat is located); while heat from the outside begins to warm things up again. Because heat rises, the temperature on the second floor rises first, causing the second floor to feel warmer than the first floor.

Why is my upstairs so hot even with AC?

One of the biggest reasons the upstairs gets so hot is that the current sealing, insulation, and ventilation systems are not working correctly. On the sealing side of things, gaps in the home's structure can go unnoticed and quickly add up, causing air conditioning to be wasted.

How to make your house cooler?

If your home has a cross breeze, take advantage of it to stimulate airflow. Open the windows on the downwind side (the direction the wind is coming from) of your house, and the bottom section on the upwind side. This will create a cooling pressure current. You can make things even cooler by using a window fan in the upwind side , which also works to generate airflow when the wind isn’t blowing in your direction or if you don’t have windows on that side of the house.

How to keep heat from entering your house?

An awning or shutters on the outside are great because they block the sun before it hits the glass. Window shades are the next best option. Look for energy efficient options, like cellular shades which hold air inside the honeycomb shapes to create a barrier with the glass. That helps keep the heat from entering and circulating in your house as well as keeping the cool air locked inside. Blackout shades and curtains are another option that help control how much light and heat gets into your home.

Why do fans make you feel cool?

You feel cool because that air flow makes speeds up the process of evaporation, and as your body transfers heat via sweat, the faster pace of evaporation helps you feel cooler. It’s important to position a fan in a corner, low to the ground, where the less dense cooler air is, so that it can push the cool air around the room. You can also position a fan to pull air in from cooler parts of your house to circulate throughout the warmer rooms.

How do ceiling fans work in the summer?

But it’s not a set-it-and-forget-it appliance. In the summer, the fan blades should rotate counter-clockwise (as you look up at it) to push the air straight down. Increase the fan speed on really hot days.

How to bring down the temperature of a window?

Sometimes opening all the windows just doesn’t cut it, in which case, spray a sheet with cold water and cover the window’s opening. The breeze will hit the sheet and pass through the cool, damp fabric, which can help bring the temperature down in your home. Paying extra attention to your windows may get you thinking about window treatments, check out this collection of 10 awesome ideas.

What is an attic fan?

Also called attic fans, these ceiling-mounted fans push hot air out through attic vents while pulling in cooler air from open windows and doors. The rapid air exchange also creates a nice breeze in your house. Whole-house fans also use a fraction of the electricity that an air conditioner does, so it’s a welcome addition to your home even if you do have central AC to help cut down on energy bills in the shoulder seasons.

How to keep your house cool in the summer?

Add Outdoor Shade. You can keep your house cool in the summer naturally by using shade to block heat from your home. Landscaping with trees can be great for privacy, but it can also keep the sun’s rays off of your house. You can also install awning s to keep the sunlight off of your windows.

How to keep cool while sleeping?

To keep cool while you sleep, use a pedestal fan or a BedJet (pictured) to push cool air into your bed.

How hot is the attic in summer?

Attics take the brunt of the heat our homes face during the summer, according to Scott Trento of QuietCool Whole House Fans: “Your attic is typically 20 to 30 degrees hotter than the rest of your home. If there’s not enough venting, it’s going to trap a lot of hot air which can heat up your entire home.

What is the best bedding for a cool night's sleep?

Breathable bedding is crucial to a cool night’s sleep. Silk or sateen sheets are light but tend to trap heat – stick to natural bedding materials like cotton or bamboo for lightweight, breezy coverage.

What is an attic fan?

Attic fans are typically either gable or roof-mounted. “Roof-mounted fans are installed on the exterior of your roof, while gable-mounted fans are installed right onto your existing vents,” says Trento. Installing gable mount fans is easy, as they are designed to attach to the existing vents of your attic.

What light bulbs keep the house cool?

Incandescent lightbulbs emit a lot of extra heat, so switching to low or no-heat bulbs like compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) is a simple way to keep your house cool in the summer.

How to fix a fan that is wobbling?

Fix Any Wobbling: If your fan is wobbling, it’s working a lot harder than it has to and won’t cool your room down well. Tighten or replace loose screws in your fan, including within the light fixture.

How to keep your house from getting stuffy?

Let out the heat in your home by opening your windows in the evenings. Leaving them open overnight will allow the cooler outside air to flow in and prevent your home from getting stuffy. Just don’t forget to close the windows before the heat starts to rise again!

How to use ice cubes in a room?

Put your trays of ice cubes to good use! Fill a shallow pan or bowl with ice and place it in front of a fan. As the ice melts, the fan will pick up the cold water particles and blow them around the room creating a cool mist.

What is the best way to turn a ceiling fan in the summer?

Believe it or not, ceiling fans have two settings: clockwise and counter-clockwise. In the summer, it should spin counter-clockwise at a high speed in order to provide a breeze in the home, LifeHacker reports. Conversely, the clockwise setting is for the winter and should be used with a slower speed to help move around heat.

Do fans make your home cooler?

Fans don’t necessarily make your home cooler since they essentially push around hot air. But if you set up a cross breeze in your home using two fans, this could make you feel more comfortable in warmer temps. To create a cross breeze, set up two flows of air — one to blow cool air and one to pull away hot air. 9.

Do blackout curtains work?

Blackout curtains work best because they will completely prevent the sun from getting in. However, Consumer Reports notes that neutral-toned curtains with white plastic backings are best for reflecting away sunlight. These curtains can actually reduce heat gain by up to 33 percent. 3.

When was the 2 story house built?

The weather was hot. The two-story house was built in the 1980s; it included a single-zone split-system air conditioner that delivered cool air through ductwork to every room in the house. My hosts complained that the second floor was always hot, even when the air conditioner was running full blast. Curious, I poked around a bit.

Why blow more cellulose in attic?

It is just as effective (and cheaper) to just blow more cellulose on the attic floor if you are worried about the (slight) performance degradation caused by the lack of a top-side air barrier. So if you are worried, just blow a little more cellulose to make the insulation deeper than the code requires.

Why are high ceiling returns good?

High wall and ceiling returns offer a couple advantages - reduced constraints on furniture placement, and, in the case of high returns, less debris drawn into ductwork. When an 80 lb long hair dog has no floor return to sleep upon, filter change intervals lengthen nicely.

Does Energy Star require an airbarrier?

The Energy Star Homes program requires an air-barrier sandwich. For example, see the Energy Star Homes Thermal Bypass Checklist Guide: "The Thermal Bypass Inspection Checklist requires a sealed air-barrier on all six sides of insulation (top, bottom, back, front, left, and right)."

Does each floor have different airflows?

2) Probably - each floor almost certainly has greatly differing summer and winter required airflows. That's physics; there's no getting around it. Comfort is impossible without accounting for that simple fact. Zoning is a great way to automatically provide for that. My own home has a single system supplying four zones on three levels.

Can you build a 2 story home without zoning?

I contend it is virtually impossible to make a two story home comfortable, summer and winter, without the use of two systems or zoning a single system. My preferred choice, for total loads of 4 tons or less, is zoning a single system.

Do you need to adjust ducts for mileage?

Additional duct adjustments may be necessary... your mileage may vary.