Hot air is less dense than cold air, which is why hot air rises while cool air sinks and hovers closer to the floor. This scientific fact is part of the reason why your house tends to get hotter on the second floor than it is on the first. However, if your house is always hot and steamy upstairs despite efforts to cool your home, there is no doubt something else going on, which is good news.

While you can't change the laws of science, you can fix these following issues that might be keeping your second story too warm for comfort:

Inefficient Building Materials

Ever step on an asphalt drive barefoot while the sun is high in the sky? It gets pretty hot, doesn't it? The same thing happens to your roof on a hot summer day. If your roof is covered in shingles that absorb heat rather than reflect it, your air conditioner might not be able to keep up with the continuous influx of heat.

The same is true if your insulation is shoddy or if there isn't enough air flow in your attic. Any combination of these factors can raise the temperature in your attic and on your second floor, making it more difficult for your air conditioner to maintain a comfortable temperature. 

Problems with Airflow

Your air conditioning duct work is supposed to deliver cool air evenly to all parts of your house. However, sometimes there are problems with airflow that causes less air to get to the second floor. There are several reasons why this can happen, including insufficient or narrow duct work and an air conditioning unit that is too small for the size of your home. If you suspect that you have airflow issues, have your home evaluated by an HVAC professional. 

Thermostat Placement

If your upstairs is hot while your downstairs is almost too cold, you might want to consider the placement of your thermostat. If it is located in a cool area of your home that doesn't get much sun, it might be reading your home's temperature at several degrees below what it is everywhere else in the house. Moving the thermostat to a warmer part of the home is often all it takes to correct this problem.

There are several reasons why your upstairs may be hotter than your first floor. However, that doesn't mean you have to live in an uncomfortable home. Call your local air conditioning repair service to have your unit and home evaluated today.