I just moved in to a two story home for the first time in years. Trying to get the temp set right as we always seem to be cold downstairs. I bought a few cheap thermometers and laid one upstairs and one down. The discrepancy between the temps seems to run about four degrees. i.e If it is 73 upstairs, it is only 69 downstairs. Is this a normal disparity range, or is it likely that I have balance problems? Next week is my 21 day walkthrough with the builder and, if this is outside of the normal, acceptable range as far as the disparity goes, that will be my chance to fix it and have the system reblanced. Odds are the builder will tell me it is normal. I want to know if that is true or not.
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Two story, one furnace home owners, temp diff? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter TxBuckeye
- Start date
Heat rises 
seriously though, it's normal. You should be able to regulate the temperatures some by opening and closing vents throughout the house. If the house has high ceilings, it's more difficult. The only way to get the temperatures the same would be having two heating units - one for top floor, one for bottom floor.
seriously though, it's normal. You should be able to regulate the temperatures some by opening and closing vents throughout the house. If the house has high ceilings, it's more difficult. The only way to get the temperatures the same would be having two heating units - one for top floor, one for bottom floor.
Yea, we only have one unit. The builder assured us they are so energy efficient that two units was unecessary. I understand heat rises and fully expected a difference. I just wasn't sure how much of a difference is considered the norm. I supposed it is a matter of getting used to a two story again. I grew up in a very old two story (150 year old house by now) but haven't really lived in one in years. But our thermostat is upstairs. So when the heat rises, it heats up quickly and cuts the heat off. I really wish the unit had been places downstairs to be honest since that is where most time is spent. And yes, we have high celings throughout. It is Texas, so I'll probably appreciate all the design decisions once summer hits.
Patriotsfatboy1
Footballguy
This. ^^^^Heat rises
seriously though, it's normal. You should be able to regulate the temperatures some by opening and closing vents throughout the house. If the house has high ceilings, it's more difficult. The only way to get the temperatures the same would be having two heating units - one for top floor, one for bottom floor.
Once again, I fully understand heat rises and that the upstairs would be warmer than the down. My question is, what is a NORMAL temperature disaprity between the two floors, not if there should be one at all.This. ^^^^Heat rises
seriously though, it's normal. You should be able to regulate the temperatures some by opening and closing vents throughout the house. If the house has high ceilings, it's more difficult. The only way to get the temperatures the same would be having two heating units - one for top floor, one for bottom floor.
If it realy bothers you, your have two options.
1. Keep the vents in the basement open and close some of the vents upstairs. This will take some experimentation to get it balanced. When you get it where you want it, mark where the vents are using a sharpie. Ideally use a blue sharpie for winter, as you will need to redo this with a red sharpie in the summer with the AC.
2. Keep the blower turned on rather on auto. This will continue to circulate the air in the house.
1. Keep the vents in the basement open and close some of the vents upstairs. This will take some experimentation to get it balanced. When you get it where you want it, mark where the vents are using a sharpie. Ideally use a blue sharpie for winter, as you will need to redo this with a red sharpie in the summer with the AC.
2. Keep the blower turned on rather on auto. This will continue to circulate the air in the house.
I had vaulted ceiling in my family room and opted to change that because of the difficulty of keeping that room warm in the winter.One other thing that helps is if you have ceiling fans, you can reverse the direction during the winter and it will push the warm air down. You'll definitely want the thermostat upstairs because of the length you'll be running the ac vs the furnace.
ChiefD
Footballguy
Where is the furnace located?
If it's in the basement, the odds are good that you have a trunk of ductwork that runs from the furnace and up to your attic. That trunk will serve your second floor. You should also have additional trunks that go out that serve the first floor. Where those trunks come off the furnace, check and see if you have manual dampers in the ductwork. Usually you'll see a metal handle of some kind sticking out of the side.
This damper can be adjusted so slow your airflow at the furnace. For the upstairs trunk, close it almost all the way during the winter. This will push your heat down the trunk lines for the first floor, and that hot air will eventually rise to your second floor.
In the summer, reverse the process. You may have to experiment with this. Once you get the temps comparable, take a black sharpie and write "winter" on the ductwork. That way you'll know where to put it next year. Then do the same in summer.
If you don't have those dampers, have the builder call the HVAC guy and have them put in.
If it's in the basement, the odds are good that you have a trunk of ductwork that runs from the furnace and up to your attic. That trunk will serve your second floor. You should also have additional trunks that go out that serve the first floor. Where those trunks come off the furnace, check and see if you have manual dampers in the ductwork. Usually you'll see a metal handle of some kind sticking out of the side.
This damper can be adjusted so slow your airflow at the furnace. For the upstairs trunk, close it almost all the way during the winter. This will push your heat down the trunk lines for the first floor, and that hot air will eventually rise to your second floor.
In the summer, reverse the process. You may have to experiment with this. Once you get the temps comparable, take a black sharpie and write "winter" on the ductwork. That way you'll know where to put it next year. Then do the same in summer.
If you don't have those dampers, have the builder call the HVAC guy and have them put in.
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Statcruncher
Footballguy
We have a two story house (no basement) with one furnace which is dual zoned, one for upstairs and one for downstairs. We never have an issue in the winter, the house is the same upstairs and downstairs. In the summer though the upstairs was always 4 to 6 degrees hotter as the AC couldn't keep up with the Texas heat. We cured that by putting solar screens on the windows to keep the sun out, now the AC can keep up and the upstairs and downstairs are within a degree or two year round.
No basement, this is Texas. Ground is to hard for that. Stat, I will look in to this dual zone option. Hopefully it is something that can be added after install?
Thanks for the replies guys. Good stuff in here.
Oh, edit to add, does the celing fan thing really work? Mine IS reversable, but it always seems like the air being pushed around by the fan would make it feel chilly. You know, like wind blowing on you.
Thanks for the replies guys. Good stuff in here.
Oh, edit to add, does the celing fan thing really work? Mine IS reversable, but it always seems like the air being pushed around by the fan would make it feel chilly. You know, like wind blowing on you.
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SeaDogStat
Footballguy
Wear a sweater downstairs...
Patriotsfatboy1
Footballguy
4 degrees is not uncommon in that scenario. I typically close most of the vents in the 2nd floor and let the heat rise from the first floor.Once again, I fully understand heat rises and that the upstairs would be warmer than the down. My question is, what is a NORMAL temperature disaprity between the two floors, not if there should be one at all.This. ^^^^Heat rises
seriously though, it's normal. You should be able to regulate the temperatures some by opening and closing vents throughout the house. If the house has high ceilings, it's more difficult. The only way to get the temperatures the same would be having two heating units - one for top floor, one for bottom floor.
Dragons
Delusions of Grandeur
Why not just keep the thermostat where it is and set it to a higher temperature? Wouldn't that accomplish the same thing?
That's what we are doing. But admittedly it is mighty toasty upstairs. I will start closing vents, partially at first. I'm a boxers only kinda sleeper. I'm afraid totally closing the vents off would freeze me out at night. Though I am willing to buy pajamas.Dragons said:
I am. But admittedly, that is a pet peeve of mine. I shouldn't have to wear a sweater. I want to be comfortable in my own home. Set the temp to 73, have it be 73. But I do (and did) realize with a two story, it wasn't going to work exactly that way. I had expected a discrepancy. Just less of one I guess. As I said, been a long time since I two-storied. Guess I forgot just how big of a difference a few degrees is when you are inside your own home.SeaDogStat said:
Well, I am sitting on the couch in the living room right now, which is open spaced in to the kitchen. So it is basically one large room. There is also a little pocket office in the corner. I can see one vent in the pocket office, two in the living room, and two in the kitchen area. There is one return vent sort of in the middle of it all. I should add, the couch where we sit in the living room sits up against three windows looking out in to the back yard. There's another double window by the kitchen table plus a patio door. So all the glass may not be helping either.
Okay, almost becoming a blog at this point, but what the heck. Thermostat is set to 72. Outside air temp is 52 degrees. Now, I am reading off two $.98 thermometers purchased at Lowe's last night. So they are an eye test, plus likely not super accurate. But, the one upstairs reads 75 or so. The one downstairs is actually showing 72. So maybe it is doing better than I first thought. Or it is just handling 52 better than the 35 we had going last night. I'm actually a wee bit confused now why I feel so chilled if it is really 72 in here?!? May need to break down and buy a good, quality thermometer I can move around to get an accurate fix on all this.
Doctor Detroit
Please remove your headgear
If the basement/lower level is partially below ground, that makes a difference in temperature. I have a split foyer, probably about two degrees cooler downstairs year-round.
Also if no one has mentioned it, heat rises.
Also if no one has mentioned it, heat rises.
Doctor Detroit
Please remove your headgear
Wow, that would be pretty miserable. Nothing you can do using suggestions in here I take it?
gianmarco
Footballguy
Nope. Unfortunately, we have a few things that work against us. The stairs leading upstairs are VERY wide and open and allows a ton of heat to rise. We have two sets of french doors down on the 1st floor that allow some cold air to come in. And the thermostat is upstairs.
I've already looked into ways to make it better and there simply isn't much to do. We actually spend the majority of our time upstairs so it doesn't matter. We have a space heater we use downstairs when we go down there but otherwise it stays between 55-60 degrees downstairs. We keep the thermostat at 68 and it's very comfortable upstairs but it sucks downstairs.
Wow, that sorta sucks. I'm sure you bought a two story for the space, and now you can't even enjoy half of it. That has to be a bummer.
Mr. Ected
Footballguy
Right next to my furnace is a valve that allows me to adjust where most of the air is flowing. Summer upstairs, winter downstairs. Actually we tend to have it mostly in the middle. Not sure if that has to do with my house or not. I need to have someone come in and look to to see if my windows are working well for insulation.
Doctor Detroit
Please remove your headgear
AhrnCityPahnder
Yinz-o-riffic
4 degrees isn't bad. It's 7-10 degrees in our house depending on the room. Space heaters downstairs is the easy answer, redone duct work is the intermediate answer, a separate AC/Furnace for the 2nd floor is the drastic answer.
Half in the bag
Footballguy
Close off upstairs vents in bathrooms and bedrooms, that should force more air downstairs.shadyridr said:
Half in the bag
Footballguy
NoDragons said:
It's really odd. Since I posted this, the disparity seems to have lessened. I guess we had a pretty good cold snap for Texas and, since we're mostly about AC here, that is what the house is really designed for, even cooling. So maybe it just has trouble keeping it even steven when the temp drops to low as far as heating goes. It is mid 40s this morning, and according to my cheapy thermometers, the temp is pretty even. So now I'm debating whether it is even worth messing with the vents. We'll see. Another cold snap will likely spur me in to action. Till then, tons of other crap I need to be getting accomplished. But I appreciate all the advice, tips, and product information. I will keep it all in mind for the next time I decide I can't stand it.
T Bell
Footballguy
It's cute the way you pretend you have a life outside the FFA.So basically you've wasted our time here. Thanks. Happy New Year.
That's why I moved here! If I wanted winter, I would have stayed up North!Cold snap in Texas. 5 degree temp change.
Dragons
Delusions of Grandeur
Patriotsfatboy1
Footballguy
It can feel cold at 72 because there is not enough humidity in the air. I assume that you have forced hot air and you probably don't have a humidifier attached.
You are probably not used to the cold as well. For us, we have the house at 68 in the winter and 75 is fine in the summer, mainly due to deviations in humidity.
So, the lower the temps outside, the more your heat will be on, which will cause:
You are probably not used to the cold as well. For us, we have the house at 68 in the winter and 75 is fine in the summer, mainly due to deviations in humidity.
So, the lower the temps outside, the more your heat will be on, which will cause:
- the greater the deviation of temps on each floor
- the less humidity in the air
- the colder you might feel for the same actual temp in the room
Ned
Footballguy
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