Improve Central Air Upstairs with These Helpful Tips

The nature of air circulation is for warm air to rise up and cold air to fall down. This natural flow of air can cause heating challenges in your multi-story home. Warm air tends to rise upstairs and can leave your ground floor feeling chilly. Fortunately, this can be controlled, and in this case, there are a few tips you can use to further improve central airflow upstairs.

Installing a zoning system in your HVAC system can divide your space, so you have different cooling zones within your home. Your ground floor will have its own thermostat setting to reduce over-cooling, while your upstairs thermostat keeps this level from over-heating. A zoning system is installed on an existing HVAC system with motorized dampers, which open and close ducts to create zones. Upstairs central air can be achieved by producing more cool conditioned air to counteract the rising warm air.

Using ceiling fans is another great way to keep air temperatures upstairs low. The fan gently pushes air downwards, causing a cooling effect in the room. A person in this room will feel like the temperature is 8 degrees Fahrenheit lower than it actually is on the setting when the fan is on.

Good return airflow should always be maintained to let hot air upstairs flow back. This should always be the case, but most HVAC return ducts are connected to a central return duct, which is not very effective when doors upstairs are closed for privacy. Installing jumper ducts through the ceiling to these rooms can help cool air upstairs. You can also use the services of a professional to install pass-through air grilles on doors.

For more expert advice on how to improve central air upstairs and other home related issues, please contact NisAir Air Conditioning and Heating. We have been serving Martin County, Indian River County and Palm Beach County since 1973.