How to keep heat upstairs house

[Cos]

So my thermostat is downstairs on my main floor and I have it set to 22.5 when I am awake and 20.5 when I am asleep. With the nights getting cooler I have noticed that the upstairs cools considerably more. However the main floor is still nice and toasty. Without just cranking the heat and causing the main floor to be too hot how can I get the warm air to circulate more upstairs?

My honeywell thermostat has Auto/On/Off mode and I dont think auto goes on unless the furnace actually kicks on. It seems to help if I kick the fan to On every once and a while but I dont always notice to go and do it.

What can I do?

[ExtraSlow]

Options:
- Run fan 24/7. Bonus, may filter out more dust if you keep the filter changed often
- Get more attic insulation. I did this in a previous house, built in 1940's, and it made a noticeable difference. Cost was very low.
- Single room heaters, like econoheat. I have one of those in my daughters room, and seems to work well.
- Suck it up, princess?

[big A]

Have you tried adjusting the heat registers. Eg shutting the main floor ones a bit and opening the upstairs ones.

[Cos]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
Options:
- Run fan 24/7. Bonus, may filter out more dust if you keep the filter changed often
- Get more attic insulation. I did this in a previous house, built in 1940's, and it made a noticeable difference. Cost was very low.
- Single room heaters, like econoheat. I have one of those in my daughters room, and seems to work well.

Thanks for the ideas.

Originally posted by ExtraSlow

- Suck it up, princess?

a.) You were cold in your 1940's house and did something about it
b.) I am tired of hearing the wife bitch

Originally posted by big A
Have you tried adjusting the heat registers. Eg shutting the main floor ones a bit and opening the upstairs ones.

No but that is a great idea actually

[turbotrip]

close some vents on main floor

[EG STyLeZ]

Originally posted by turbotrip
close some vents on main floor

Or if you have a basement do the same down there

[Darell_n]

My Honeywell Visionpro stat will run my fan randomly for 33% runtime to minimize cold spots in the house.

[AE92_TreunoSC]

I just sealed my upstairs windows with the plastic shrink to stop my single pain windows from leaking heat, also I only have 50% of my vents open downstairs, so it runs longer before the thermostat heats up.

[Cos]

Thanks for all the comments. I guess it makes sense that they open and close as a means on control I just never thought of them that way.

Darell thanks for the idea, if this doesnt work I will have to pick up another one. I currently have a




AE92_TreunoSC I had one cracked window replaced and my downstairs warmed up even more. Now that my downstairs warms up even faster my power bill has gone down (great) but the upstairs has cooled off considerably.

[Alterac]

Attic Insulation (just under $1000 for blown in insulation, and some vents + such put in for my place 1978ish, just insulation was ~$600)
Window Sill insulation (between the window, and the wood frame, fill it up with low expansion foam)
Make sure your vents upstairs are open, and windows closed. (lol no brainer there).
Some bathroom fans have a flap that can get stuck open (and let out hot air while off) instead of just when its running.
Like the other guys said, close the main floor ones a bit.


ps,
20.5 while sleeping? Id fucking sweat to death.. haha. I love it cold w/ window open for fresh air while i sleep.

Mine is 16.5 at night (10pm to 6am), 19.5 (6am - 8am), 17.5 (8am - 5pm), 19.5 (5pm - 10pm).

I tell the GF to put a damn sweater on if she is cold, Im sitting around in a t-shirt year round.

[barmanjay]

Also check your cold air returns upstairs to make sure they are not blocked.

If there are none,.. them that might be your problem.

[Cos]

Originally posted by Alterac
Attic Insulation (just under $1000 for blown in insulation, and some vents + such put in for my place 1978ish, just insulation was ~$600)
Window Sill insulation (between the window, and the wood frame, fill it up with low expansion foam)
Make sure your vents upstairs are open, and windows closed. (lol no brainer there).
Some bathroom fans have a flap that can get stuck open (and let out hot air while off) instead of just when its running.
Like the other guys said, close the main floor ones a bit.


ps,
20.5 while sleeping? Id fucking sweat to death.. haha. I love it cold w/ window open for fresh air while i sleep.

Mine is 16.5 at night (10pm to 6am), 19.5 (6am - 8am), 17.5 (8am - 5pm), 19.5 (5pm - 10pm).

I tell the GF to put a damn sweater on if she is cold, Im sitting around in a t-shirt year round.

haha that is what I "set" it to. I have a Oregon Scientific thermometer outside and in our bedroom and it sits around 18 degrees at night. I have mine set to the following:

5:15 to 7:15 - 21.5
7:15 to 4:00 - 16.0
4:00 to 10:30 - 22.0
10:30 to 5:15 - 20.5

Weekend is the same with the day cut out.


Our house was built in 2002 so I am not sure if they are better or worse than older places are talking about. The flow from downstairs to the upstairs rooms is very difficult for the air (hallway, not open to the downstairs, no overlooks or veranda's or whatever you would call them) so once I turn the fan on it really helps.

I do find that I go and check the windows every so often and I make sure that they stay locked so I know they are seated.

I never did check the bathroom exhaust vent, I assume I have to get on the roof for that?

One thing to mention, the attic access is in our walk in closet, so I assume we lose a lot of heat through that AND our bedroom is over a half finished garage.

Originally posted by barmanjay
Also check your cold air returns upstairs to make sure they are not blocked.

If there are none,.. them that might be your problem.

I have one right beside where I sleep, I did vacuum it out when we moved in but the people before did no maintenance on the house. I may need to have the ducts blown out.

[Alterac]

Originally posted by Cos

I never did check the bathroom exhaust vent, I assume I have to get on the roof for that?

One thing to mention, the attic access is in our walk in closet, so I assume we lose a lot of heat through that AND our bedroom is over a half finished garage.

You can check the bathroom fan flap thinger from inside, its part of the fan assembly, sometimes they get gunked up, and stay open. (remove the grill, drop the fan out of the chassis, clean er up).

The hatch to the attic, you can put a big peice of foam on the other(Attic) side of it, and also put some weatherstripping around the outside edge of it to ensure a nice tight fit.

The unfinished garage under your bedroom is probally the big problem, if you could get the that finished / insulated im quite sure that would help alot.

[Cos]

Originally posted by Alterac


The unfinished garage under your bedroom is probally the big problem, if you could get the that finished / insulated im quite sure that would help alot.

Yeah I should finish it. Thanks for the help. I will see what the vent system does to help and go from there. I just figure if it is 'chilly' now, can you imagine what it is going to be like in February.

[gram]

http://wn.com/Holmes_on_Homes_Cold_B...m_above_Garage


Watch this video, it's a huge problem in a cold ass place like Calgary

This is one of the best things you can do from your description of the room above the garage


Good luck

[Cos]

Originally posted by gram
http://wn.com/Holmes_on_Homes_Cold_B...m_above_Garage


Watch this video, it's a huge problem in a cold ass place like Calgary

This is one of the best things you can do from your description of the room above the garage


Good luck

I am a bit of a Holmes freak but I must say I havent seen this yet.



Thanks!

[barmanjay]

Maybe look into a dual zone control for your furnace with a 2nd thermostat for upstairs.

[Mibz]

We looked into a dual zone furnace but ended up sticking with the single and just adjusting our heat registers. It works fine.

That said, I could stand to get a dual zone and make my study a single zone. We've got two computers on 24/7 and the doors are always closed so the cats don't get in and the room gets retarded warm regardless of household temperature.

[ExtraSlow]

Closing some vents is a good and free way to redistribute heat. Another choice is to relocate your thermostat. I had mine moved from main floor to upstairs for similar reasons. Went with a wireless honeywell, for ease of install.

[Mitsu3000gt]

You guys and your cool upstairs' are so lucky. I like to sleep around 14-15 degrees with a comforter not much thicker than a sheet. If my room was 20+ degrees I wouldn't even get 1 minute of sleep.