Why is my basement hotter than upstairs? In a house with exterior basement insulation, the massive foundation wall is warm and slows down temperature changes ( hotter or colder) in the basement . Hence, the basement is usually warmer than the rest of the house when the upstairs thermostat turns the furnace on and will overheat before the furnace is turned off.
Full Answer
Will heating my basement affect my upstairs?
Unfortunately, heating your basement will have very little effect on heating the upstairs. The only thing that heating your basement will accomplish is keeping the basement warm. The amount of heat that will rise to the next floor will not be enough to heat the space.
Why does my house feel hotter upstairs than downstairs?
If you don’t have attic space to buffer the heat or your roof isn’t well-insulated, you’ll automatically feel hotter upstairs. Faulty ductwork: Ducts absorb the cool air from your HVAC system and distribute it throughout your home.
Should I heat my basement?
The only thing that heating your basement will accomplish is keeping the basement warm. The amount of heat that will rise to the next floor will not be enough to heat the space. If you were looking to heat your basement as a way to keep your upper levels warmer, ideally, what you should have is a zoned heating system.
Why is it so cold in the basement?
As hot air rises, the basement tends to be the coldest part of the house. In fact, the difference in temperature between your basement and your upstairs can be 20 degrees. This is a problem beyond the fact that you feel cold in the basement. When you feel cold in the basement, you may feel tempted to turn the thermostat to a higher temperature.
Why is my basement warmer than upstairs in summer?
If your HVAC ducts have unsealed connections, especially if these connections are in the basement, the basement's temperature is sure to rise and the rest of the house will be colder. If connections are unsealed in the basement, hot air is escaping into the basement, raising its temperature.
Why is it hotter in the basement?
The main reason a basement will start to feel hot is that a leak is present. You may also have water underneath your home, which can cause a hot, humid inside climate. Considering that excess moisture can lead to mold, structural problems, and even future health concerns, figuring this out soon is essential.
Why is it warmer downstairs than upstairs?
Blame physics: hot air rises while cold air sinks. That means your upstairs typically gets hotter than your lower levels, even if your air conditioner's working in overdrive. Your roof's hot, too: Unless you have shady tree cover, your roof absorbs a ton of heat from the sun.
How do I control the temperature of my basement?
Here is a list of quick fixes and some tips on keeping your basement warm in the summers:Lower the basement humidity levels by reducing unwanted moisture.Seal your windows and doors.Insulate the walls and the floors. ... Install radiant heat floors.Make changes in the HVAC ductwork system.Seal your doors and windows.More items...•
How do I keep my basement cool in the summer?
Shop This LookBudget-friendly options for cooling a basement include installing window air conditioning units. ... Other low-cost options include floor fans or a box fan. Box fans will also fit into an open window and help to push warm basement air to the outside.More items...
Why is my basement so warm in the winter?
But this makes keeping them warm in winter that much more important. A basement is naturally insulated by the earth that surrounds it—keeping it cool in summer and relatively warm in winter.
How do you fix uneven heating in a house?
Try These Tips when Your Home is Unevenly HeatedUse Your Air Vents to Reallocate Air to Needed Areas. When was the last time you looked at your vents or registers? ... Switch the Fan from “Auto” to “On” ... Have Your Air Ducts Checked for Air Leaks. ... Add More Insulation in the Attic. ... Control Different Areas with a Zoning System.
How do you fix temperature difference between floors?
Add a zoning system Room zoning systems allow you to control the temperature independently from thermostats installed on each floor. These thermostats are rigged to control panels throughout your home and communicate with dampers that are installed inside your ductwork.
Will closing vents in basement help cool upstairs?
That said, closing your vents is best for saving energy but not for redirecting cool air throughout your home. Some homeowners believe that by closing the vents in their basements, cool air will automatically be redirected toward the upper levels of a house. Unfortunately, that's not how your furnace fan works.
How do I cool down my basement?
Keep your basement cool with a single room AC. The easiest way is to install a portable air conditioner. All you need is a window to vent out warm air, and a portable AC will cool you down immediately. Window ACs and mini splits are two other options.
Should you put a thermostat in the basement?
The thermostat should be in a central location. No matter where it goes, balancing will need to performed. If you use the basement I would recommend extended supplies and a return air or two.
What is a typical basement temperature?
In the summer your basement will probably stay cooler than the rest of the house, but keeping it at 80 F or lower will help suppress humidity and mildew. Ideal Basement Temp: 55 F to 60 F in winter; less than 80 F in summer.
Do basements get hot in the summer?
One rule of thumb to help determine the basement temperature is to average out your area's temperature across the entire year. In the summer, the basement is often cooler than the outside air. In the winter, the basement is often warmer than the outside air.
Do basement apartments get hot in the summer?
A basement apartment stays cold even during summer due to the cold air density. Other contributing factors to the coldness include high moisture and poor insulation. However, there are many ways to keep your basement apartment warm if it gets cold and vice versa.
Why are basements cooler?
Moisture. One of the most common reasons why your basement feels colder than the rest of your home is because of the amount of moisture that is in the air. The more moisture that is in the air, the colder the space may feel. It is very common for basements to feel damp and have more moisture than the upper floors.
What is the average basement temperature?
In the summer your basement will probably stay cooler than the rest of the house, but keeping it at 80 F or lower will help suppress humidity and mildew. Ideal Basement Temp: 55 F to 60 F in winter; less than 80 F in summer.
A zone system
One solution to this uneven cooling is to install a zone system air conditioner in your home. Zone systems use electronically controlled dampers and multiple thermostats to balance the temperature in the home. The thermometers regularly take readings of the temperatures in their zone and adjust the dampers in the room as needed.
Ductless mini-split air conditioners are another solution
Another option is to install a ductless mini-split system in the area in the house that is not cooling properly. Ductless mini-split systems work by drawing in air through an outdoor condenser. That air is then cooled via the refrigerant coil in the system and distributed into the room.
Still not fixed? Call in a professional
If neither the zone system or the ductless mini-split help with the unbalanced cooling in your home, it is time to call in a HVAC specialist. These professionals are trained to identify the underlying problem in your home’s cooling system. They can also offer a solution and make the repairs for you should you wish.
How to keep heat from rising in lower floors?
Even if your appliances are on your lower floors, the heat can still rise. Change air filters. A dirty air filter can restrict the flow of cool air and force your HVAC system to work harder. Check and change your air filters to ensure airflow isn’t hindered as it moves through your home.
How to reduce heat in a house?
Reduce your use of lights and appliances. Avoid creating more heat upstairs. Keep your lights off or dimmed. Cut back on appliances that generate heat, like hair dryers, curling irons, dishwashers, ovens and stoves. Even if your appliances are on your lower floors, the heat can still rise. Change air filters.
Why does my second floor feel like a sauna?
First, here’s why your second floor feels like a sauna. Heat rises. Blame physics: hot air rises while cold air sinks. That means your upstairs typically gets hotter than your lower levels, even if your air conditioner’s working in overdrive. Your roof’s hot, too: Unless you have shady tree cover, your roof absorbs a ton of heat from the sun.
How to get rid of cold air in a room?
Fire up the (ceiling and floor) fans. Your ceiling and floor fans can help circulate the cold air that may be lingering near the floor. Just remember that fans cool people, not rooms. So, if you’re planning to be out of the room for a while, turn the fan off to limit energy use. Tinker with your vents.
What to do if your home isn't cooling?
A newer, more energy-efficient model could more adequately cool your home, help establish an equilibrium in temperature between floors and save you in utility costs.
Can you get your A/C down to 68 degrees?
Here’s one final thought to keep in mind — be realistic about the temperature. If it’s 98 degrees outside, your A/C unit may never be able to get you home down to 68 degrees. But you can survive the season by being smart about your summertime thermostat settings and using these tips to keep your upstairs cool.
Is my roof hot?
Your roof’s hot, too: Unless you have shady tree cover, your roof absorbs a ton of heat from the sun. That hot air seeps into your attic before settling onto your top floor. If you don’t have attic space to buffer the heat or your roof isn’t well-insulated, you’ll automatically feel hotter upstairs.
Why is my downstairs heating system colder than upstairs?
As cold air is denser and warm air rises, your downstairs may be colder than your upstairs. Make adjustments to your system. You may also consult with a professional. If you still have the problem and inconsistent temperatures remain, your heating system may not be powerful enough.
Why is my upstairs room hot and cold?
There are several reasons why it might be hot upstairs and cold downstairs. For one thing, warm air rises. Also, you might have a hot roof caused by the sun. Faulty ductwork is another possibility. Cold air is denser and stays low , which is why your downstairs is more likely to be cool.
Why is my house cold in summer?
If the downstairs of your house is too cold in the summer, it is probably for a specific reason. If you have turned up the air conditioning higher to try to cool a hot upstairs, it’s then too cool downstairs. This is why a hot upstairs and cold downstairs can often happen together. If you have this problem, you should consult with an HVAC ...
How to make sure your house is properly cooled?
To make sure your whole house is properly cooled, check the HVAC system’s blower fan. You should make sure that the blower fan is running on a constant basis. Don’t worry about energy use. Keeping the blower fan of your air conditioning system running constantly won’t use too much energy.
How to keep your upstairs cool in summer?
How to Keep Upstairs Cool in the Summer. One step you can take to help keep your upstairs cool is to put in better insulation and sealing. If there are any gaps in the structure of your home, your air conditioning isn’t able to work as it should. Remember to ensure that your attic is insulated, too.
What does it mean when your air conditioner is hot?
This will mean that people feeling hot on upper floors will turn the air conditioner to a cooler temperature. If this happens, people on lower floors will feel cold. If you have this problem, you may have to repair or upgrade your air conditioning and/or heating systems, and/or insulation.
What happens if you feel cold in your basement?
When you feel cold in the basement, you may feel tempted to turn the thermostat to a higher temperature. If you do this, the heat from the furnace will also go into the higher levels of the house. In fact, it will become concentrated there and the temperature upstairs will get too hot.
Why is my basement colder than upstairs?
Why Is My Basement Colder Than My Upstairs? The cause of the different temperatures is actually very simple. Warm air goes up and cold air goes down. You can feel the difference in the air temperature moving up and down your stairs by crawling up the stairs. Cold air will hit you in the face as you crawl up the stairs.
How does cold air work in a 3 level split?
This leaves the warm air to move up and occupy the upper levels. In a 3 level split, the middle level gets the pressure from the bottom and the top.
Can you leave a furnace fan on?
The option of leaving your furnace fan on is the best option if you have a high-efficiency furnace with a variable speed fan. This would allow for a very low flow of continuous air that would not be heard but yet keep the flow of air going.
Can you open the vents in the lower levels?
It is common to open the vents in the lower levels and close the vents in the upper level during the heating season. Leaving your vents like with would cause the air-conditioned air to go to the lower levels. Opening the supply vents in the upper levels of the home and closing them in the bottom levels during the cooling season will push ...
First, Check These Items
There are a few basics you can check yourself if only certain rooms aren't heating or cooling. Replace a dirty filter. Check for closed vents or vents blocked by furniture. Make sure you don't have loose connections where your ducts meet your vents.
Address Airflow Delivery
When you can't balance your home temperature, especially when there's an obvious and unacceptable difference between your upstairs and downstairs temperatures, and your basic DIY checking of filters, vents, insulation and ductwork doesn't help, it's pretty much a given that you have a problem with airflow.
Consider a Zoned System
The difference between air balancing and zoning is that one addresses your system's airflow, and the other allows precise temperature control throughout your home. If you're in the market for a new HVAC system, opting for a high-efficiency programmable zoned system can solve your upstairs/downstairs temperature dilemma.
Be Sure to Check Credentials
A contractor with little knowledge about air balancing and zoning can leave you with more problems than you had before calling, so always shoot for trained and certified. If, like some people, you're hesitant to ask for credentials, check the company's ads or website.
