My upstairs is really hot during the summer and my downstairs stays
cool. My dad told me to start adding more insulation to the upstairs
attic. I am doing this but will that help the upstairs to cool down?
Half of my upstairs is finished and there is 1 vent in each bedroom
(total of 2) I do not see anyreturn duct work. If I install that will
that help?

On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 21:19:27 -0700, batman
wrote:

My upstairs is really hot during the summer and my downstairs stays
cool.

Not uncommon.

My dad told me to start adding more insulation to the upstairs
attic. I am doing this but will that help the upstairs to cool down?

It will almost surely cause the hot attic not to heat the upstairs so
much.

If you stand on a chair, is the ceiling hot now? (I've never actually
checked my ceiling, but I wish I had before I put in the roof fan.)

Unless you have loads of insulation there now, more insulation should
help. I forget the recommendation but for fiberglass, the pink stuff
or the other color, I think it is something like 6 or 8 inches, as
amazing at that seems. Depending on where you live, etc. Don't rely
on me to remmeber a number.

Half of my upstairs is finished and there is 1 vent in each bedroom
(total of 2) I do not see anyreturn duct work.

The warm air may go down the stairs and enter the furnace/AC through
the stairwell. Find the intake to the AC and that will help make
things clear (It's on the ohter side of the AC from the output. )

If I install that will
that help?

I think so. WEar a dust mask to not inhale the insulation. If it's
not enough, come back here and talk about cooling the attic with a
roof fan or additional passive venting.

Make sure the upstairs vents are actually open. How mnay vents
downstairs? Maybe close one of them.

On Jul 9, 5:29?am, mm wrote:
On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 21:19:27 -0700, batman

wrote:
My upstairs is really hot during the summer and my downstairs stays
cool.

Not uncommon.

My dad told me to start adding more insulation to the upstairs
attic. I am doing this but will that help the upstairs to cool down?

It will almost surely cause the hot attic not to heat the upstairs so
much.

If you stand on a chair, is the ceiling hot now? (I've never actually
checked my ceiling, but I wish I had before I put in the roof fan.)

Unless you have loads of insulation there now, more insulation should
help. I forget the recommendation but for fiberglass, the pink stuff
or the other color, I think it is something like 6 or 8 inches, as
amazing at that seems. Depending on where you live, etc. Don't rely
on me to remmeber a number.

Half of my upstairs is finished and there is 1 vent in each bedroom
(total of 2) I do not see anyreturn duct work.

The warm air may go down the stairs and enter the furnace/AC through
the stairwell. Find the intake to the AC and that will help make
things clear (It's on the ohter side of the AC from the output. )

If I install that will
that help?

I think so. WEar a dust mask to not inhale the insulation. If it's
not enough, come back here and talk about cooling the attic with a
roof fan or additional passive venting.

Make sure the upstairs vents are actually open. How mnay vents
downstairs? Maybe close one of them.

obstruct downstairs vents, this will force mre cold air upstairs and
it will flow back down the steps.

have you checked the filter? a dirty clogged filter can cause this

batman wrote:
My upstairs is really hot during the summer and my downstairs stays
cool. My dad told me to start adding more insulation to the upstairs
attic. I am doing this but will that help the upstairs to cool down?
Half of my upstairs is finished and there is 1 vent in each bedroom
(total of 2) I do not see anyreturn duct work. If I install that will
that help?

Heat rises.

On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 21:19:27 -0700, batman
wrote:

My upstairs is really hot during the summer and my downstairs stays
cool. My dad told me to start adding more insulation to the upstairs
attic. I am doing this but will that help the upstairs to cool down?
Half of my upstairs is finished and there is 1 vent in each bedroom
(total of 2) I do not see anyreturn duct work. If I install that will
that help?


I have return ducts, but still notice air rather just come down the
stairs.

Well I had the same temp difference, and I checked, my ceilings were
HOT. I upgraded my insulation, and when I want as close a temp (top
and bottom floors) I put the fan on recycle.

hth,

tom @ www.Consolidated-Loans.info

batman wrote:
My upstairs is really hot during the summer and my downstairs stays
cool. My dad told me to start adding more insulation to the upstairs
attic. I am doing this but will that help the upstairs to cool down?
Half of my upstairs is finished and there is 1 vent in each bedroom
(total of 2) I do not see anyreturn duct work. If I install that will
that help?


You didn't say if your home uses just a single AC system and one
thermostat. Our house has two separate systems and two thermostats, one
on the main floor and one on the second floor, making it easier to cllo
just the floor(s) we're on at the time.

If it's a single system, follow the others' advice, close off some
outlets on the main floor and see if more cool air comes out on the
second floor.

Also, what's the venting like in your attic? A ridge vent and air inlets
under the eaves helps a lot towards keeping the attic cool, as will a
thermostatically controlled attic exhaust fan.

Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.

On Jul 9, 12:19 am, batman wrote:
My upstairs is really hot during the summer and my downstairs stays
cool. My dad told me to start adding more insulation to the upstairs
attic. I am doing this but will that help the upstairs to cool down?
Half of my upstairs is finished and there is 1 vent in each bedroom
(total of 2) I do not see anyreturn duct work. If I install that will
that help?

Your dad's part right.

Can't have too much attic insulation, but you also need to block
airflow from inside the shell into the attic or elsewhere.

Meaning: the insulation can't have any gaps, or it's relatively
useless. By this, I mean air-passage.

Also: walls should be insulated as possible with no gaps- some
builders have probs with insulation where walls meet ceiling.

Then- windows should be low-e and seal well. Doors too.

You now have a chance to keep it cool without lots of
coal burnt at your friendly local power station.

(You could sleep downstairs for Jul/Aug., or use window-
rattler to cool one room up there. FWIW.)

HTH,
J

On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 21:19:27 -0700, batman
wrote:

My upstairs is really hot during the summer and my downstairs stays
cool. My dad told me to start adding more insulation to the upstairs
attic. I am doing this but will that help the upstairs to cool down?
Half of my upstairs is finished and there is 1 vent in each bedroom
(total of 2) I do not see anyreturn duct work. If I install that will
that help?

One house I had the attic access panel on the second floor was in the
hall. Not far from the thermostat. Just 5/8 sheetrock panel that was
caulked around the edges/trim . When the attic unit needed service the
first time and the caulk "seal" was broken we could just feel the heat
entering in the house. I can only imagine the energy loss through the
space. Seal them up tight.

The house across the street was one bed room smaller than my house.
His tstat was on the first floor and mine was on the second. I never
understood that.

Check for leaking windows upstairs.

--
Oren

"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"

"batman" wrote in message
oups.com...
My upstairs is really hot during the summer and my downstairs stays
cool. My dad told me to start adding more insulation to the upstairs
attic. I am doing this but will that help the upstairs to cool down?
Half of my upstairs is finished and there is 1 vent in each bedroom
(total of 2) I do not see anyreturn duct work. If I install that will
that help?

In addition to the other good suggestions, you can try setting the AC fan
switch to ON so that the fan runs all the time. This will help equalize the
temperatures. Be really sure that your filter is clean and the blower is
moving as much air as possible.

Don Young

Keep in mind though, running the 'fan' will increase your cost of operation
while increasing your comfort level. While moving the air through out, it
will also bring heat from the attic through the duct insulation to your
living space.

--
Zyp

"Don Young" wrote in message
...

"batman" wrote in message
oups.com...
My upstairs is really hot during the summer and my downstairs stays
cool. My dad told me to start adding more insulation to the upstairs
attic. I am doing this but will that help the upstairs to cool down?
Half of my upstairs is finished and there is 1 vent in each bedroom
(total of 2) I do not see anyreturn duct work. If I install that will
that help?

In addition to the other good suggestions, you can try setting the AC fan
switch to ON so that the fan runs all the time. This will help equalize
the
temperatures. Be really sure that your filter is clean and the blower is
moving as much air as possible.

Don Young

On Tue, 10 Jul 2007 08:22:25 -0700, "Zephyr" wrote:

Keep in mind though, running the 'fan' will increase your cost of operation
while increasing your comfort level.

Yeah, I tried this this week, but the problem was that they fan was
never going to turn off. So I had to go down stairsand turn it off
when I was already in bed, because I thought it had done all it would
do. Especially since when not using the AC I open the windows at
least at night if not during the day.

It did feel good with the cool basement air coming out the vent near
my desk chair, and blowing on me, but the fan on the file cabinet
actually gave a better breeze that sort of overwhelmed the basement
air breeze.

OTOH, No bad smell either, even though there had been one the last 4
weeks of winter at my desk chair. Another problem solved without
doing anything.

It only lowered the temp in the bathroom about a half degree, although
the vent in the bathroom is closed, so it doesn't hcange temps
quickly.

While moving the air through out, it
will also bring heat from the attic through the duct insulation to your
living space.

I don't have any ducts in my attic, so that is not an issue. The OP
didn't say he had any.

Our heat wave was only 2 1/2 days, and it getting was nice yesterday
afternoon and beautiful today in Baltimore.

The thermostat is in the same wall that goes around the chimney, so I
could probably put extra swtiches of all sorts on a little panel in my
bedroom closet, directly above the thermostat. This is one more
reason to do so. I know about the remote thermostats also.

--
Zyp

"Don Young" wrote in message
"batman" wrote in message
My upstairs is really hot during the summer and my downstairs stays
cool. My dad told me to start adding more insulation to the upstairs
attic. I am doing this but will that help the upstairs to cool down?
Half of my upstairs is finished and there is 1 vent in each bedroom
(total of 2) I do not see anyreturn duct work. If I install that will
that help?

In addition to the other good suggestions, you can try setting the AC fan
switch to ON so that the fan runs all the time. This will help equalize
the
temperatures. Be really sure that your filter is clean and the blower is
moving as much air as possible.

Don Young