How to Cool a Two-Story House Efficiently

Does your home’s first level feel like the Arctic, while the second floor feels like the desert? It can be a challenge keeping a two-story house evenly cool. Hot air rising is often to blame and the structure is one factor that can further increase the heat upstairs. It takes some thought to figure out the causes and some easy home cooling strategies to keep you comfortable when cooling a two-story house.

If you’re seeking efficient ways to cool a two-story house, you’ve come to the perfect place. It is understandable how stressful it can be to keep your home’s temperature under control. Especially when there are two floors to maintain. After reading this article, cooling the upstairs of your two-story home will no longer be a problem for you. So, if you’re ready to put your cooling miseries to rest, keep on reading.

Insulate Your Home

Adding insulation to minimize heat transfer is an effective technique to help cool a two-story house. Proper home insulation helps to control temperature while making your entire home seem cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Blown-in insulation can also be installed in completed walls and sealing leaks around windows can also assist to insulate the house and make it more comfortable. Inspect every little corner of your home because you may have overlooked small gaps or holes that could compromise the coolness.

If you have an attic and it isn’t properly insulated, it might be a major source of your heated upper-level problem. Your roof absorbs a lot of heat, which when it enters the attic the heat naturally penetrates those upper places. Adding insulation to your second floor might help keep it cooler, properly vent the attic, and prevent unnecessary heat to enter your home.

Use A Window Air Conditioner

If you don’t already have one, you should seriously consider installing a window air conditioner on the second story of your home. You may unlock some strong (and affordable) cooling potential by strategically placing a window AC unit in your two-story home. It’s also worth noting that window air conditioners can be put within a wall. That way, you can maintain access to your windows while also avoiding the hassle of putting it up and taking it down each season.

Use Your Air Conditioner With A Fan

Whether you utilize a central air conditioner or a window AC unit, a well-placed fan may enhance the cooling capacity of both systems. Running a floor-standing fan can assist spread the chilly air created by your air conditioner more quickly. You can also direct the air where you believe it is not being sufficiently cooled.

If your upstairs rooms do not already have ceiling fans, you can install them. Ceiling fans function similarly to floor fans in that they serve to keep the air flowing. As a result, it serves as an excellent complement to your air conditioning equipment. Both types of fans are especially beneficial on the second level because they may prevent hot air from rising and settling in a room. Therefore, your air conditioner will consume less energy because it will not have to work as hard.

Use A Programmable Or Smart Thermostat

Replace an outdated thermostat with a programmed or smart thermostat type. This is one of the simplest two-story house air conditioning ideas you can attempt. This can save you ten percent or more on your annual cooling (and heating) expenditures. Programmable thermostats enable you to create a timetable for when your central air conditioner turns on and off during the day (and week). You can regulate the quantity of energy consumed in this manner without having to continually touch it.

Smart thermostats take this management to a whole new level by allowing you to operate your air conditioning over WiFi from your smartphone or other mobile devices. You don’t even need to be inside your home to make changes. What’s more, some smart thermostats have access to your local weather forecast and can automatically adjust the temperature of your AC unit based on those conditions.

Use Ventless Air Conditioner

In comparison to other cooling equipment, a ventless air conditioner (also known as a portable evaporative cooler) may be a decent alternative for you depending on your needs. These devices are extremely effective at cooling rooms of various sizes and do not require the use of a window. That is why they are such an excellent way to chill down your house without using air conditioning.

They function similarly to humidifiers, except instead of creating warm air, they expel cold air to chill a space. The primary benefit of ventless portable air conditioners is that they can be simply transported from room to room and do not require any setup. If you’re searching for an effective solution to cool a two-story house, this is an option to explore.

Separate Thermostat Upstairs

The issue with having only one thermostat for the entire house is that it may not give you an accurate reading of what’s going on on the second level. For example, your ground level might have all of the drapes closed and/or no direct sunlight access. On the other hand, a lot of sunshine may be seeping through into your second level.

This discrepancy will impact how hot each floor is, causing your home’s air conditioning equipment to fail to adjust for the heat upstairs. As a result, you should consider putting a thermostat on the second level so that your central air conditioning equipment can obtain a more accurate measurement of the temperature on the floor.

Close Your Curtains During The Day

By preventing direct sunlight from entering your home during the day, you will naturally keep the inside temperature lower and put less strain on your AC system. If you’ve made all of these changes and you’re still uncomfortable, your cooling system may be too small for your home. If your system is too tiny, it will run for a longer period of time and more often.

If it is too big, it will run on shorter, more frequent cycles, potentially damaging the motor. Both of these size problems can lead to greater energy costs as well as more repairs due to mechanical wear and tear. It is vital to update or check your home’s AC system to make sure that everything is running smoothly and efficiently.

Use a Mini Split Air Conditioner

If all else fails, you may consider purchasing a small split air conditioner system. While this is the most costly option on the list, it has the advantage of being able to spot cool any number of rooms in a two-story house. You can even chill spaces without any windows.

There are two types of mini split air conditioners: wall-mounted units and ceiling cassettes. Wall-mounted air handlers are the simplest to install and may be up and operating in as little as 30 minutes. Ceiling cassettes necessitate cutting a hole in the ceiling, which takes significantly longer. Regardless of the type of air handler you select, an outside compressor unit is installed to power the interior device.

Efficient Ways to Cool a Home Under Budget

Now, not every home has the opportunity to upgrade or purchase these modern technologies to assist with the cooling or heating issues. There are still methods to reduce the heat inside the house without breaking the bank. Here are some clever techniques for creating an environment that will evenly cool the inside of your home.

Opt for a White Roof

Traditional black roof materials can get over 100 degrees hotter than the air around them on a hot day. A white roof may help keep your house cool in the summer by reflecting heat rather than absorbing it, preventing heat from seeping into the rest of your home. This is a smart and affordable way of reducing and preventing heat from entering your house

Place Box Fans in Windows

Your upstairs, like the attic, tends to retain increasing heat, and utilizing window box fans is a fantastic method to naturally keep a house cool in the summer. When using window fans to cool a room, face them outward to vent hot air out, especially when it’s sweltering outdoors. The box fan can assist in directing hot and humid air outside.

Unplug Appliances You’re Not Using

Even when turned off or not in use, plugged-in electronics create heat, which may make an already hot home even hotter. Unplug appliances such as toasters, fans, and gadget chargers while they are not in use. When cooking a meal downstairs in the kitchen, disconnect any gadgets on the second level that are not in use, such as computers or appliances. They have the ability to create or accumulate heat within your home, causing the temperature to rise.

Add Outdoor Shade

You can naturally keep your house cool in the summer by employing shade to stop heat from entering your home. Landscaping using trees may provide seclusion while also keeping the sun’s rays away from your home. Awnings can also be installed to keep the sun off your windows. These simple methods have a significant influence on the temperature inside your house.

Create a Cool Cave

Fortunately, most basements remain rather chilly all year. Take advantage of this by establishing a pleasant area to retire to during the dog days of summer. You’ll be more comfortable while using less cooling power, which will save you money on your utility costs.

Try a Whole House Fan

If you’ve tried every house cooling trick and you still feel like you’re walking in the sun, you should consider investing in a whole-house fan. Whole-house fans consume only 10% of the energy of a typical AC unit and are significantly less expensive to install. Moreover, unlike air conditioning, which utilizes chemicals to force cooled air into your home, whole-house fans are intended to naturally take the heat out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is it harder to cool a two-story house?

A: By following the techniques and tips above it is easy to create a cool atmosphere inside your home. Of course, conducting your own research customizable to the situation of your house is also helpful.

Q: What do you set your thermostat to?

A: The best temperature for your home is always based on your cooling preference. It is important that you feel comfortable inside your own home.

Q: What is the best AC temperature to sleep at?

A: Regardless of the season, the ideal temperature for sleeping is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Consider resetting your thermostat before going to bed to allow the temperature in your bedroom to adjust for a better night’s sleep.

Q: Why does my upstairs stay so hot?

A: One of the primary reasons the upstairs becomes so hot is that the present sealing, insulation, and ventilation systems are ineffective. Check your home’s insulation system or call a professional team to get a detailed insight into the situation.

Q: What type of roof is the coolest?

A: Cool metal roofing is a popular cool roofing material because it has twice the solar reflection of regular asphalt roofing. When combined with a colorful reflective coating, solar reflectance can reach up to 70%, compared to asphalt shingles’ 30% solar reflectance.

Q: Is it better to have a light or dark roof?

A: Darker hues absorb more heat, and warmer roofs allow snow and ice to easily slide off. Lighter hues reflect sunlight, keeping roofs cooler and allowing homeowners in hotter regions to save money on energy expenses.

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Final Words

Knowing what to do and what to buy for your home to stay cool is important so you can take the necessary actions needed so the situation would not worsen. Some tips can be done without spending a lot of money but will still have the same outcome when buying pricy new appliances. Recognizing what proper advancement and changes are required for your home will make it more comfortable and easy for everyone in the house.

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