When you go upstairs in your northern Arizona home, do you start feeling warmer … then too warm?
There are several possible reasons. We’ll walk through them with you and offer some potential solutions.
Many homeowners believe it makes sense to have your furnace set to “Auto,” so it only runs when the thermostat indicates heat is needed. But if you’re dealing with a hot upstairs, you may want to try turning the furnace setting to “On.”
With air continuously circulating, it helps to prevent the hot air from settling on the second floor and cold air from being stuck on the first floor. It can also be more energy efficient.
Have you looked into zoned heating? Your home is divided into multiple sections, allowing you more precise control over each of them. You can set the upstairs cooler and the downstairs lower. Today’s programmable and smart thermostats offer easy control of your heating and can even be monitored and run directly from your smartphone or mobile device!
If your home doesn’t have adequate insulation, especially in the attic, warm air is going to rise up to your second floor more often, resulting in overheating there. Check the U.S. Department of Energy guide to the proper insulation levels for your home.
If your upstairs rooms get full sunlight throughout the daytime, that passive heating may be contributing to the heat up there. Use blinds and curtains during the day to block some of that sunlight from increasing the temperature in those spaces.
When was the last time you changed the filter for your furnace or HVAC system? If you can’t recall, it’s time to do it.
Check it monthly and change as needed. If you have pets, or if someone in your home has allergies or a respiratory condition, you will have to change it more frequently. A dirty air filter may cause improper or inadequate heating to zones of your home, in addition to cycling your heat on and off at an irregular cadence.
Do a check of the vents around your home. If they blocked by things like furniture, curtains, and other items, it may compromise your airflow. That forces your furnace to work harder. That may be why your upstairs rooms are so warm, while others are less so.
While you also may think that closing the registers on the second floor while keeping the first-floor registers open is a good idea, that’s not necessarily the case. When you close those vents, it affects the pressure levels of your heating system and makes it work harder in compensating. That reduces your heating system’s energy efficiency and can send your energy costs soaring as well.
If you’re looking for a company who can guarantee your home comfort this season, you can count on Superior Propane Inc. for the propane delivery and service you need! Become a customer today—we’re standing by and are ready to assist.
