You probably expected the summer to be hot and humid this year. But were you expecting to spend more time indoors, working from home, developing a homeschool routine (or even a curriculum), and ordering take-out? As if that weren’t enough to bog down this unprecedented summer, a home that can’t seem to stay comfortable can make it all seem that much worse, especially for homes here in the Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Cinnaminson, and Washington Township area that have a second floor that won’t cool down.
Here at Bovio, we have been fielding requests to help our fellow New Jersey homeowners with their heating and cooling in homes that suffer from inconsistent temperatures. Here is what you should know about what causes hot second floors, and how we use the whole-home approach to resolve these issues once and for all.
What Causes the Second Floor to Get So Hot?
When your second floor is consistently hotter than your ground level, the first instinct may be to blame your air conditioner for not providing the cold air your second floor needs. In reality, the culprit is more likely to be your home! There are a few “home performance” issues that can cause excess heat to infiltrate your home, including:
- Small cracks and gaps in your home construction (primarily in the attic)
- Deteriorated or insufficient insulation
- Leaky ductwork
As heat enters your home through your attic, exterior walls, and even the crawlspace, it will search for the cooler temperatures of your living space. Given that the attic is often the largest offender of this heat infiltration, the second floor ends up keeping the majority of that heat.
Is Your Home Making Life Hard for Your Air Conditioner?
Your air conditioner is tasked with keeping your home nice and cool, but this is dependent on the interconnected systems of your home keeping that cold air in and the hot summer air out! Here are the ways Bovio goes about making life a little easier for your air conditioning system:
Insulation Upgrades
Insulation is rarely a thing homeowners think about after move-in day. Often times, insulation is installed during construction, and homeowners assume it’s a “set it and forget it” situation! But over time, attic insulation especially can lose its effectiveness after it becomes damaged, takes on water, or settles. It is also possible that there wasn’t enough insulation installed in the first place. Bovio offers professional installation of many insulation types and materials to fit your home’s exact needs, like:
- Loose fill cellulose blown in insulation
- Dense packed cellulose insulation
- Blown in fiberglass insulation
- Fiberglass batts
- Rigid board insulation
Air Sealing
Remember those tiny yet problematic holes we mentioned throughout a home, that allow heat to infiltrate? They can also allow the heat from your furnace to exfiltrate, too! Sealing up these holes is essential to helping your home stay comfortable, all year long. This is called air sealing, and we utilize the latest diagnostic technology, like a blower door test and infrared imaging, to locate and seal these holes.
Supplemental Cooling Equipment (Heat Pumps)
If we are sure your home is air tight and properly insulated, and your air conditioner still cannot keep up, we can install targeted cooling (and heating) power with a ductless mini-split, also known as a heat pump. This reduces some of the cooling load of your central air conditioner, while also providing energy efficiency and on-demand heat in the fall and winter!
Get Started with an Energy Audit
The best way to know how to solve your hot second floor issue is with an energy audit. This comprehensive exam of how your home is performing will uncover exactly where home upgrades are needed so that you can make informed decisions and solve the problem correctly the first time. Solving your hot second floor issues the right way will save you energy all year round, and keep your indoor temperatures more stable!
Is your home a “tale of two temperatures”? Solve your inconsistent temperature issues with an energy audit from Bovio! Call Bovio or get in touch here.
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