Air Conditioning - It's Getting Hot in Here!

Spring is Awesome! The world renews itself before our eyes and we’re renewed as well after a harsh winter. The sun warms everything it sees: the grass, the birds, the ponds, and the roofs. Especially the roofs!

Hot second and third floors are common when air conditioning season rolls around. But sweating in bed is not an unavoidable misery. The physical phenomena that stack heat at the top of a house can be overcome with a little building science.

Does warm air rise? Yes. It’s less dense than cool air so it floats to the top of your home. Does the heat in the attic affect upstairs temperatures? Of course. It is usually 30 degrees warmer in the attic than it is outside on a sunny day. Heat always moves from more to less and your upper floors, as hot as they feel, are cooler than the attic. Sunlight through glass and air leaks from outside also stack the heat at the top of your home.

Comfort in every room of your home does not require a separate air conditioning system for upstairs and, in fact, this is a last resort. Who wants their ductwork and air handler in a 125 degree attic? It does require some work to keep heat from entering. This means properly sealing air leaks between the house and the attic and adding insulation to slow the transfer of heat from the attic through the ceilings. It is not unusual for an upper floor to need 60% less air conditioning once this step is finished.

Sometimes fixing the house is not enough and changes to an existing duct system are required. Moving the heat out of the upper rooms and moving conditioned air in overcomes the “hot air rises” problem. This can be accomplished without chopping up the house to run more ducts.

Our Energy Audit includes a detailed plan for improving summer comfort while reducing energy consumption. It’s tailored to fit your budget, takes advantage of the $4000 rebate NJ is offering and can be financed at 0% interest if needed. Call us today for your FREE audit!