The nights are continuing to get warmer and if your bedroom is upstairs, you may have already experienced trouble sleeping due to the heat. Maybe you’re trying to get comfortable by blasting the air conditioner, shedding layers, or using multiple fans, but what if there was a way to solve the problem for good?
How Heat Moves Throughout Your Home
It’s first important to understand why heat gathers in your home’s upstairs rooms. Heat travels through radiation, conduction, and convection.
Think about what happens when you stand in direct sunlight, as opposed to in the shade. You warm up much more quickly in the sun due to radiant heat. Radiation is heat that travels in a direct, straight line. Convection is another form of heat transfer and causes hot air to rise while cold air sinks due to changes in density. Finally, conduction is heat that transfers through materials, like when you wear an oven mitt, but can still feel the pan’s heat. All three types of heat transfer affect your home’s upstairs.
Cranking the Air Conditioning is Not the Answer
Most homes throughout the greater DC area, including Arlington, VA, are riddled with cracks and gaps. In the summer, this means hot air enters through the top floors and pushes cold air down to the lower floors. In the winter, these gaps and cracks let warm air up and directly out of your home.
Many homeowners believe blasting the air conditioner and continuing to lower the thermostat will help resolve their comfort problems. Unfortunately, even if you’re running your AC nonstop, the conditioned air you’re pushing into the upstairs will only drop down to the lower level and be replaced with hot air seeping in through small gaps and cracks in your home envelope.
Resolving Upstairs Comfort Issues with The Fifth Fuel
The surest way to resolve an upstairs that’s too hot isn’t with a new air conditioner, it’s with air sealing and insulation. First, an expert should conduct an assessment to pinpoint areas that require tightening up the building envelope. Once your home has been diagnosed, the locations that require air sealing and insulation, specifically attic insulation, can be addressed.
With thorough air sealing and appropriate insulation, you’ll notice that your home’s upstairs will be significantly cooler in the summer. Your air conditioning system won’t have to work as hard, helping you save on your cooling costs and extending the unit’s lifespan. With air sealing and insulation, you’ll enjoy a more energy efficient and comfortable home this summer, letting you sleep in peace. And not to mention the benefits you feel this summer, you will also reap in the winter when you want to heat up your home!
