If your Columbia, Maryland, home has two levels, you may be struggling to maintain a comfortable and consistent temperature across the entire house. Uneven heating in a two-story home is a common problem, but it’s one that you can resolve. Follow a few simple tips to improve the indoor atmosphere on both levels of your Columbia, MD home.
Why It’s Hotter Upstairs
Heat naturally rises because the air becomes less dense when it gets hotter. As a result of the lighter weight of the air, it travels upward, causing your upstairs to feel warmer than the downstairs. In most homes, the thermostat is on the main level rather than the upper level, so the heating and cooling system will move air based on what it senses at the thermostat.
Set Up Zones
The first tip for improving the temperature consistency is setting up zones in your home. You can do this with additions to your HVAC registers, which help to adjust the airflow and slow it down in certain zones. For example, if your upstairs is warmer but the main level feels colder, lessening the warm airflow on the upper level can allow for more air to move to the lower level.
Heated air will naturally travel upward, so you don’t have to worry about it getting too cold upstairs. An HVAC technician can install dampers within your ductwork to help you create zones within your home.
Use Fans
Fans also help with airflow, so utilizing these in your home can improve the overall atmosphere. You can keep the fan running on your furnace, which will ensure that air is always moving. As a result, the temperature will become more balanced, even when the furnace isn’t actively producing warm air. Ceiling and floor fans can also help move air throughout the home and improve the ventilation. When it’s cold outside, switch the direction to allow for air movement without excessive blowing.
If you’re still struggling to maintain a comfortable atmosphere in your two-story home, our HVAC technicians at Griffith Energy Services can help, so contact us at 888-474-3391.
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