Causes of Uneven Cooling in the Upper Floors of a Home
Requiring additional ductwork to reach all rooms can lead to a cooling problem because there won't be enough air flowing upstairs.
Cooling the upper floors of a home is more complicated than the rest of the house because heat naturally moves upward. Cooler air naturally tends to move to the lower parts of a house, so overcoming the law of thermodynamics is necessary to stay cool upstairs. If an air conditioner is installed correctly, these problems won't occur. Here are some factors that can lead to uneven cooling, leaving the upper floors warmer than desired.
Duct layout
Requiring additional ductwork to reach all rooms can lead to a cooling problem because there won't be enough air flowing upstairs. However, if the upstairs ducts are excessively large or lengthy, they can lose pressure, decreasing the amount of cool air reaching the upper floors. The absence of an upstairs return air duct can also disrupt airflow from one end of the upstairs to the other, causing only a portion of the upper floors to be warmer than the rest of the space.
Damaged ducts
Anything that damages the ducts supplying cool air to the upper floors can cause the air to escape into the walls and attic instead. Several factors can cause damage to the ductwork, such as rats chewing through the thin metal. Duct joints may come loose, and sections can slide apart. If the upper floors are warmer than usual, it's advisable to have the ducts checked for damage.
Undersized air conditioner
Air conditioning units should be sized based on the cubic footage of a home. If the A/C unit is too small for the home, it will struggle to cool the upstairs area. The system won't be able to circulate enough air to cool that part of the home. Some A/C installers rely on square footage alone and don't measure the cubic footage, leading to an undersized system that needs replacement.
Ineffective blower
Every A/C system has at least one internal blower responsible for circulating air throughout a home through the ductwork. An undersized blower can only move a portion of the air upstairs. A larger blower or multiple blowers on different floors may be necessary to maintain proper airflow. Older blowers also weaken and become less efficient at moving air, so a tune-up might be required.
Evenflow Home and Commercial Services of San Antonio offers impeccable house cleaning services, professional plumbing, electrician services, HVAC installation, maintenance, and repair. Our technicians offer 24-hour emergency electrical and HVAC service for San Antonio, Schertz, Converse, Floresville, Elmendorf, and more. Call us at (210)941-3503.
