Massachusetts has the third-oldest housing stock in the United States, with over 50% of homes built before 1960. This older construction means that many families suffer from inconsistent temperatures across the house, specifically with a hot upstairs and cold downstairs. If you constantly find yourself asking, “Why is my upstairs so hot even with AC?” you’re not alone. This is one of the most common concerns that our home performance experts at Neeeco hear from local families.
As uncomfortable and frustrating as this problem can be, there are solutions for it. Typically, three things cause this to happen, but they can all be addressed with help from an experienced comfort and energy-efficient contractor.
Reason #1: An Underinsulated Attic
During the summer, your roof absorbs an immense amount of heat from the sun. This is especially true if you have dark shingles. Attic insulation underneath the roof decking helps prevent this heat from spreading into the home. If there are gaps in the insulation, or not enough insulation, heat enters the attic space.
Once in the attic, it’s very easy for the heat to spread to the upper floors, especially if there isn’t insulation between the ceiling joists. This is the most common reason why a Massachusetts home can have a hot upstairs but a cold downstairs. Unless they have previously been retrofitted, older homes do not have the same level of attic insulation as newer ones.
Reason #2: Air Leaks in the Attic
The better sealed a home is, the better temperature regulation it has. It’s normal for there to be small amounts of air leakage between the attic and the outdoors because of intentional ventilation. However, there should not be any air leakage between the attic and the upstairs living areas.
Air gaps in the attic allow hot and humid outdoor air to enter your home directly. This constant influx of air heats your upstairs bedrooms, bathrooms, and living spaces, making it much warmer than the lower portions of the home. These leaks are often hard to spot without specialized tools. The most common locations for them include:
- Pull-down staircases and other attic access hatches.
- The gaps around recessed lighting fixtures and outlets.
- Bathroom fans that vent into the attic space.
Reason #3: Leaking Ductwork
If your upstairs is hot no matter how much you turn up the AC, you likely have a duct leakage problem on your hands. The average home loses 20-30% of the air that moves through ductwork due to leaks at the joints, damage, and improper installation. If your central air system is unable to deliver all of its cooling power upstairs, the space will feel hotter.
Heat naturally rises, so it’s impossible to remove it entirely from the upper portions of the home. Even with a well-insulated and sealed attic, you’ll still need AC to regulate the temperature, so it’s important for your ductwork to be in good shape.
How Insulation and Air Sealing Can Resolve a Hot Upstairs & Cold Downstairs in Massachusetts
Inadequate insulation, air gaps, and duct leaks can all be fixed by an experienced home performance contractor in Massachusetts. A variety of insulation types can be added to the attic space to help keep it cool, such as blown-in cellulose, spray foam, and fiberglass. Air gaps can be filled with sealants, or in many cases, spray foam. Ductwork can also be sealed with special products.
It’s important to identify the root cause of this problem before jumping into improvements. A no-cost home energy assessment from Mass Save® will evaluate your home’s overall efficiency and pinpoint the issue. Once this is complete, you can invest in insulation, air sealing, duct sealing, or all three to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of your home.
Additionally, the Mass Save program provides incentives and rebates for these improvements, helping make them more affordable. You could receive up to 100% off approved air sealing and insulation upgrades.*
*Some restrictions apply and offers are subject to change or cancellation. Visit MassSave.com/HEA for full details.
Improve Your Home Performance With Neeeco
Neeeco is proud to be an approved Mass Save contractor, and with our help, we can provide everything you need to solve an upstairs that’s hotter than the rest of the home. We’ll start with your no-cost home energy assessment, help you apply for rebates, and perform the exact work you need to fix the problem.