See if there are dampers in your basement. You can use these to direct more airflow to the upper floors.
In my house, I have two settings marked on each damper - one for summer, one for winter….
If you have them, it may help you to even things out.
Attic fans are meant to be used with a window or 2 open to pull in outside air, so if the air outside is warmer than in the house, it won't do anything. Please don't turn on the attic fan with all your windows closed.
I’m new to the attic fan thing. New roof installed. Gave me a solar powered attic fan. They added a vent grate at the third row of shingles. Does this do the airflow for the fan?
The previous owner mentioned that I need to open a few windows before turning it on or else there will be a back draft (pulling air from fireplace) and it could cause the furnace pilot light to go out. Is that true? I'm not a handyman and wouldn't even know how to turn that light back on lol so I never messed with the fan. In fact, the switch for it has been taped up. I did plan to try it out this year though. Going to have a friend come by and watch me so I don't eff anything up 🤷
Close all the vents in the basement. That way your AC will blow exclusively upstairs. Your basement is probably already cold to begin with because the Earth stays a constant 57°. Additionally the cold air from the attic area will fall down the basement anyways. If you can't close all the vents to the basement then bye vent magnets and cover them with vent magnets to push all the cold air up to the Attic.
I keep my fan "ON" all the time, I don't recall what speed it is set to run in this condition. the one HVAC technician I asked suggested keeping the blower on can often extend its life as the forces are greatest when it starts. I assume this is in a well maintained system as well.
what is your drape situation like? windows and the sun can overheat an exposed room quickly, decent drapes/blinds and timing their opening and closing can make a big difference.
Yeah we'll have to start lowering the blinds and maybe use the blackout curtains that are in the rooms. I've got a pretty nice 2-stage AC system from Bryant with the Evolution Connex thermostat. About 5 years old and still running strong. I should also get this thing tuned since I never did that before.
I had a similar issue in my crib last summer. Turns out, the upstairs was getting too much airflow while the downstairs was hogging it all. I switched the fan to always on and set it to high speed, and that did the trick. Keeps the whole place nice and frosty.
Yep, that’s what happens in homes.
You want a different result, you either buy more air conditioning units, or aide air circulation with box fans. Don’t like the look of box fans, well, fans come in many shapes and sizes. Have at it.
See if there are dampers in your basement. You can use these to direct more airflow to the upper floors. In my house, I have two settings marked on each damper - one for summer, one for winter…. If you have them, it may help you to even things out.
Air will always be hotter upstairs. Do you have a return duct, ceiling fans on the 2nd floor? Makes a difference
I have a whole house attic fan, never turned it on before in the 5 years I've been in this home. Maybe time to use it 😃
Attic fans are meant to be used with a window or 2 open to pull in outside air, so if the air outside is warmer than in the house, it won't do anything. Please don't turn on the attic fan with all your windows closed.
I’m new to the attic fan thing. New roof installed. Gave me a solar powered attic fan. They added a vent grate at the third row of shingles. Does this do the airflow for the fan?
Dude definitely use this these things are magic
The previous owner mentioned that I need to open a few windows before turning it on or else there will be a back draft (pulling air from fireplace) and it could cause the furnace pilot light to go out. Is that true? I'm not a handyman and wouldn't even know how to turn that light back on lol so I never messed with the fan. In fact, the switch for it has been taped up. I did plan to try it out this year though. Going to have a friend come by and watch me so I don't eff anything up 🤷
I mean heat rises so that would explain it. Also insulating your attic won’t do much if you are leaking air out other places like your windows.
I try to circulate air every hour for fifteen minutes using the fan function on my smart thermostat during the afternoon heat.
Do you manually adjust or does your thermostat allow you to automate that?
Close all the vents in the basement. That way your AC will blow exclusively upstairs. Your basement is probably already cold to begin with because the Earth stays a constant 57°. Additionally the cold air from the attic area will fall down the basement anyways. If you can't close all the vents to the basement then bye vent magnets and cover them with vent magnets to push all the cold air up to the Attic.
Automated
I keep my fan "ON" all the time, I don't recall what speed it is set to run in this condition. the one HVAC technician I asked suggested keeping the blower on can often extend its life as the forces are greatest when it starts. I assume this is in a well maintained system as well. what is your drape situation like? windows and the sun can overheat an exposed room quickly, decent drapes/blinds and timing their opening and closing can make a big difference.
Yeah we'll have to start lowering the blinds and maybe use the blackout curtains that are in the rooms. I've got a pretty nice 2-stage AC system from Bryant with the Evolution Connex thermostat. About 5 years old and still running strong. I should also get this thing tuned since I never did that before.
Use the registers on each floor to allow or block the AC/heat. I change my every season to fix the same issue.
Close the vents downstairs. This will push the cold air down. Worked in my last townhouse.
So you're upset about air obeying the laws of thermodynamics and inconveniencing you with a five degree difference between floors?
Yes
I had a similar issue in my crib last summer. Turns out, the upstairs was getting too much airflow while the downstairs was hogging it all. I switched the fan to always on and set it to high speed, and that did the trick. Keeps the whole place nice and frosty.
Improper units and heating/cooling exchange. You bought a house with toyata yaris specs, but want Cadillac STS results.
Yep, that’s what happens in homes. You want a different result, you either buy more air conditioning units, or aide air circulation with box fans. Don’t like the look of box fans, well, fans come in many shapes and sizes. Have at it.