New to Two-Story Living

[SavvyCat]

I just bought a two-story townhouse, and I am baffled about how to have a consistent temperature between floors. It is so warm up top while chilly down below. The temp spread isn't huge, but I need a cool room to be able to sleep. In that case, I have programmed my thermostat to stop heating about an hour and a half before bedtime, but it leaves that last hour or so enjoying TV before bed feeling uncomfortable, which is not the relaxation I'm used to before bed.

Anyone have any ideas? For reference, the total square footage is 1440. The downstairs is just the kitchen, dining, and family area, and the upstairs is a loft with a bed and bath to either side.

Now, it is "winter" here (south of Las Vegas) and I may be complaining prematurely. Perhaps it's set up for the many months it's really hot. But even so, heat rises. I don't see how it will be better in a few months. Thoughts?

 

[Sparky617]

It was a challenge in both of my townhouses and my first single family house that had two stories. Zoning requires dampers and extra duct work. My current house has a first floor unit in the basement and a second floor unit in the attic. Not always practical in a townhouse.

You might be able to get a better balance with the dampers in the ducts to restrict flow to the first floor and force more upstairs. Inline duct fans for the second floor would help move more air upstairs.

If you haven't had the unit serviced recently find a good independent HVAC company and have them service the unit and make recommendations. Avoid ARS and other national chains. They seem more interested in selling new units than maintaining existing ones.

 

[oldognewtrick]

I use to own a town home, the solution that worked for us was to close the upstairs ducts during winter.

 

[SavvyCat]

I use to own a town home, the solution that worked for us was to close the upstairs ducts during winter.

I was just trying to do that. I can't reach the two in the loft. It's like a 25 foot vault! Don't know what I'm going to do when that smoke alarm battery waaay up there needs changed. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Bob Reynolds]

A space heater might be the thing to cure the chill in the room. They are on Amazon for about $53. I bought one for a chilly area in a downstairs area. Works with remote control. It heats a 14X14 room pretty fast and I turn it off after about 20-30 minutes.

Here is the link:

https://www.amazon.com/Lasko-751320...ords=lasko+space+heater&qid=1611567094&sr=8-8

 

[SavvyCat]

Thanks. I actually have been using a space heater. I have one that’s on wifi with an app. I was just hoping there was some neat trick others might know if normalize the top and bottom. I have a feeling I’m going to be using this portable (sort of) air conditioner in my bedroom come summer unless I figure it all out now.

 

[bud16415]

Our two story 1850 home has a gas furnace in basement and T-stat on first floor and two runs to the second floor and a doorway to the stairs going up. So the stairs and hallway are always a little cooler as the only air return is down the stairs.



When I wake up on a winter morning I instantly know if it is mild or very cold outside. If it is really cold our bedroom is very warm, if the bedroom feels cool it is mild outside.

The furnace runs based on keeping the first floor correct and the upstairs gets what it gets. I have tried messing with the flow to the second floor and can correct it one way or the other but nothing will correct it for both situations. I think for two areas like that you need zones that can be smart controlled. We have a couple of electric space heaters one in each bedroom and also extra blankets and let people pick their method.

 

[SavvyCat]

That reminds me an old sandstone we lived in when I was a kid, probably built around the same time. There was NO heat upstairs, and we kids had space heaters and sleeping bags in our beds. Nowadays someone probably would have called CPS for the abuse. But I think it’s why I like sleeping in a cool room.

The downstairs was more modernized with floor vents for the heat. We used to race down to stand on the best vent to warm up in the morning, because like Goldilocks, one was too hot, one too cold, and one inflated my long nightgown just right.