Air condition not circulatiing around the house?
Question:My townhome is three levels the middle floor stays about 65-70, downstairs may be 60-70, while upstairs is about 80-90. I use fans to circulate but really tired of having this problem. I have central air this place is about 25 years old, and I am renting. A new blower was installed, vents cleaned, and freon was added last year how can i cool it off upstairs in the bedrooms.
Answers:
try closing the lower vents where its cool, this will give you more pressure upstairs.
u need a new unit or a bigger one
They probably are using a heating system for cooling as well. Floor vents and floor return air ducts work great for heating. Trying to force dense cold air up to a third level is hard for a system designed to move lighter warm air.
Since you are renting installing a separate properly sized cooling system is probably out of the question.
Your options are limited. In the upstairs rooms you can install window/wall or portable air conditioners.
You can also try closing some of the vents on the lower levels to force more air upstairs. If you close too many though you might ice up the evaporator coil from decreased air flow.
try closing off the lowest level vents, and partially closing the middle floor, see if this helps to boost more cooling upstairs.
Make sure you have window coverings , especially on windows that get any sun during the day.You can get those 'temporary shades' at home depot for cheap, or I got some $1 a yard fabric at walmart adn tacked it up behind my blinds, and it really helped.
Also, keep your thermostat on about 78..a/c is only gonna cool so much in relation to the outside air.
The problem is hot air rises. the bottom floor is coolest the top floor hottest. You have not mentioned if you have an air return upstairs. if you don't that's a problem. There are fans you can buy that go in the duct work to increase flow to the up stairs but they have to be wired in to work with your a/c and furnace. If your renting you probably don't want to spend that kind of money. So try putting some inexpensive fans in front of the vents up stairs. if you do have an air return upstairs put a fan in front of it to. They don't have to be big fans. Just big enough to cover the registers.. sucking some extra cool air upstairs might do the trick.
this may sound crazy but worth giving a try.
basic theory suggests hot air rise and cool air sinks that explains why your multi level dwelling is resulting in various temps
here are some ideas that may help
use dark blinds or light blocking window treatments in the upstairs to keep the sunlight out yes it is dismal but energy saving, you can even use dark window tint, I have even used those inexpensive window shield reflectors, the shiny kind, by achoring them on the inside of the window frame and blocking most of the sunlught.
you also can try in addition to keeping sunlight out during day to keep all the doors shut it is easier to cool one room with the door shut than all the doors open cooling the halls stairwells, ect ect
you can also try using a window fan on the third floor in a room that does not have to much obstruction. face the fan outward and use as an exhaust it will pull the cool air from the bottom levels upstairs and exhaust the heat outside it may seem like you arepouring airconditioning outside but it helps and does not make that much of a diffrence in usage. but if you do this method nix method 2 becuase you will not have airflow
the new high powered air circulators are great if you know how to use them most people place them on the floor and point them vertically, they need to be facing upwards or at least an upwards facing angle pulling cold air from the floor and forcing it up
I live in FL and believe me when you are on a budget you really have to play the air circulating game
If none of these methods help you may want to try a window unit in one of the rooms to help cool it down. I just purchased a reasonably priced one at Target ( Haier model HWF05XC7-T)$89 works really great, not loud
Hope this was of some help Good Luck
it sounds like everyone has a good answer,check the roof
the tiles black or another dark colour.if so your lanord is cheap.
Ask him/her to put up wirlybirds instead of the flat top vents.The H E A T inside the atic can circulate therefor u keep kool mon!
As a heating/cooling contractor I can tell you that split-level homes are notorious for having the problems that you mentioned.
As a renter your best shot would be small window units for the bedrooms. There are now small cheap (China -dammit!) units available so it shouldn't cost you all that much. Operating costs might actually decrease because you would be achieving better zone control. Good luck.
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