Comfortable downstairs/Hot upstairs. Solutions?


  #1  
Old 06-08-06, 02:03 PM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Comfortable downstairs/Hot upstairs. Solutions?

Hello,

I have a 30yr old, 2400sq.ft., 2 story home in Houston which has one A/C unit.

I have plenty of soffit vents, a roof ridge vent and last year I reinsulated the floor of my attic. I am sure those items help but it still gets hot upstairs and I feel like I am working my A/C unit (and my wallet) too much.

My recent thought is to place a ceiling fan in the top of the stairwell and have it to where it sucks air up from the downstairs. I think it has to help some but do you think this will help enough?

Does an attic fan go on the roof to suck air out? Would that help more?

If $$ was unlimited I would have separate/zoned A/C units for up and down stairs.

What would you do?
 
  #2  
Old 06-08-06, 02:31 PM
Jay11J's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Rochester, Minnesota
Posts: 16,984
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Where is your current system at? Returns?

My parents home that I grew up in, it was warmer upstairs cuz the blower on the old furnace was not strong enough to push and pull air upstairs. We had a fan in the foyer and that did help change the air around.

About 5 years ago, they did put in a new furnace and A/C and it did help out more. but no way of getting away from it on a single zoned system. it maybe was about 3-4 degrees warmer up stairs.
 
  #3  
Old 06-08-06, 02:43 PM
S
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
My whole unit is in the attic except for the outside compressor. I have one return on the first floor and another return midway up the steps going upstairs.

My outside unit is about 7yrs old, the gas furnace is 4.5yrs old and the air handler piece is ancient looking but still working.

Airflow seems to be ok upstairs it just gets quite a bit warmer. Maybe that is the nature of the beast ??

Is it more economical to leave the A/C set to my temp but leave the fan in the on position all the time or is that a waste?

What do you think of my ceiling fan idea in the stairwell?
 
  #4  
Old 06-08-06, 02:49 PM
Jay11J's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Rochester, Minnesota
Posts: 16,984
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I'd move the midway return too the ceiling upstairs. hot air rises.. .. With that moved, it will pull the hot air away. (If it can be moved)

The ceiling fan may help, but every home is diffrent.

as for the fan "ON" may help, but you have to try it out for yourself for a few days.
 
  #5  
Old 06-08-06, 04:35 PM
Ed Imeduc's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Mountain Williams Missouri
Posts: 17,505
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
Wink

Id give the fan 24/7 a tryshould help some .

My whole unit is in the attic except for the outside compressor. I have one return on the first floor and another return midway up the steps going upstairs.
Unit in the attic----another return midway up the steps going upstairs. How are why? Could you close this one and put a new cold air return in the ceiling of the upstars near the unit there????
LikeJay the fan by the stairs dont work. Its just the heat down wants to go up stairs and the cold air upstairs wants to fall down stairs.

Does an attic fan go on the roof to suck air out? Would that help more?
yes
you say you have all the vents you need in the attic??? you need 1 sq ft of vent for150sq ft attic. 1/2 in and 1/2 out. If the attic is very hot yes an attic vent fan can help.Cool the attic down by moveing more air through it. Take the sq ft of the attic X 0.7= the cfm of the attic vent fan you need there.

ED
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: