Question about heat

anyone have any suggestions to help keep the top level of my townhouse cooler? it gets so freakin hot in the summer that it's quite uncomfortable (the rest of the house is cool though). I have tried redirecting air flow and stuff like that but never really notice a difference. The ceiling fans even turned on summer mode just don't help. I'm sure I am not the only one with a problem like this.

 

An attic exhaust fan would probably help.

 

I don't know how you have directed airflow in the past, but I've had success in my SW townhome by adjusting the baffles to shift airflow to the upstairs AND closing the vents in the basement. It makes a big difference.

 

I also have an attic fan, so it might be doing more than I realize...

 

Not much else you can do besides the suggestions above especially with a single HVAC system. Heat rises. It'll find it's way to the top floor.

Just to add...Close blinds and curtains. Keep the warm sunlight from getting into the house.

 

I haven't done this when it is REALLY warm, but on days like today when it's comfortable I put a fan in an upstairs window. We have a particular fan that sits in the window and can be switched to 'fresh air' which as you would suspect blows air in, or 'exhaust' mode which pulls air from the house and pumps it out. If you have a few other windows open it's great... brings a bunch of fresh cool air in.

 

Being in an end-unit townhouse and having tried all the tricks I can say it's fairly tough to keep the top floor comfortable during a hot day. I used to just avoid those rooms during the day but now having a baby at home and being a work-from-home dad, ignoring an entire floor is fairly hard to accomplish. The tricks mentioned, mostly Flynnibus's, did seem to help but it's still a bit warm on the hot days. I know installing a window unit is against HOA rules, however I wonder if one of those newer all-indoor portable AC units are acceptable. While they do require a window, there is no protruding parts and look almost like a very small/flush window fan. I noticed Costco had one for $299 a few weeks back.

 

Is your A/C fan set to auto? If so, switch it to ON. That will keep the air moving all the time, so it never gets turned off by the thermostat. We are not in a townhouse, but it helps with our upstairs south-facing bedroom.

 

Can someone tell me what this mean?


"3) switch air duct baffles to summer mode"



I was going to pose the same question about the upstairs of my townhouse...
Thanks for the help.

 

We used to have the same problem in our previous home (also a townhouse). I know what you mean - there was such a significant difference in temperature between the upper and lower floors that it felt like we should see cloud formations in the dining room.

Our house was constructed in such a way that we could place a fan in the basement (where it stayed nice a cool) and point it upward so that it forced that cool air upwards. Made a HUGE difference on didn't have to install anything.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think we have that. I did however find the filter and will replace that today. Hopefully that makes a bit of difference...

 

I would take a second look. I'd be fairly surprised if you don't have baffles. In my house there was no label and it wasn't at all obvious (at least to me) what they were until someone showed me. If you look at the main unit, you should see (3 for my house) ducts going up/out. For my house one goes to the top floor, one goes to the basement and 1/2 of main floor above the basement, and the third to the rest of the main floor. Each duct simply has a small lever sticking out of the side and only one is visible from the closet doorway. You have to look a little for the other two. On mine if you turn the lever parallel to the duct you are opening the baffle and if you turn the level perpendicular then you are closing it.

 

Attached is a picture of one of my baffle levers. You should have one for each main duct leaving the system.

 

ah hah! That was not where I was looking. Thanks for the picture. I was looking in the main unit at 3 funnel shaped things. Clearly not right. Anyway, mind looks very similar. I see the one duct, just like yours. Is that the one heading upstairs? In the picture that you showed, was that switched to open or closed? Thanks for taking the time to help....

 

last resort... sleep nekkid!!!

 

That picture is the duct providing air for most of my main floor. My kitchen (on main floor) and basement share one duct and then the rest of the main floor has another duct with the top floor getting it's own. In the picture it's opened. Ideally this would be closed for Summer but I find my situation works better with this one open. Each situation is different in what works best. You'll probably find starting with the various recommendations then gradually making changes to see what works will get it how you want it, or in my case, as close as it can get. In my case it seems to work best in summer with the top two ducts being open and the basement closed and the system fan set to on all the time or at least during the day. We also keep the ceiling fans on.