Temperature is one of the most important things to your comfort around the house. In fact, we’d go so far as to say that it’s the single most important thing for homeowners to control. Unfortunately, many homeowners spend their hottest days struggling with uneven temperatures.

Sometimes, it’s hot upstairs and your downstairs is cold. Or maybe you can’t get the temperature “just right.” No matter how you slice it, the bottom line is that you’re no longer comfortable in your own home.

Fortunately, if it’s hot upstairs but your downstairs is cold, this is something that you can easily fix. We’ve prepared a handy guide to some of the best solutions for fixing the problem of uneven temperature within your home.

1. CHECK THE THERMOSTAT AND BREAKER

When the air conditioning is acting up, many homeowners dread the idea that they have an expensive repair (or even more expensive replacement) ahead of them. However, you might get really lucky: the problem may simply be with your thermostat or breaker.

Issues with the thermostat are actually pretty likely in the event of uneven cooling or even if the system stops working entirely. We recommend checking the batteries on the thermostat, and if those are good, having a professional inspect the thermostat conditions and settings.

If the thermostat is in good working order, then the next step is to check the circuit breaker for the system. Make sure that it is operational and in good condition, and make sure that it is set to the “cooling” setting.

If this doesn’t work, there are some other options you can explore first if your upstairs is hot but your downstairs is cold!

2. INVESTIGATE THE A/C UNIT

If your upstairs is hot but your downstairs is cold, the next step is to cut to the chase and investigate the air conditioner directly. This is an important step because issues in and around the air conditioner can create a number of issues that result in uneven air circulation and cooling.

First, you might want to check for any overgrown plants around the unit. Such plants can be a double-bladed sword: a tall tree or shrubbery that blocks the sun can help your air conditioning unit out by reducing the amount of direct heat the system encounters, helping it to last longer. But the overgrown plants can also damage the system from the inside due to debris.

Try to clear out any potential debris that is close to the A/C unit. Afterwards, you can inspect the unit as best as you can, though we highly recommend that you have a professional conduct the most thorough inspection possible.

3. EXAMINE THE COILS

Many of the problems that we’re discussing can occur at any time throughout the year. However, the next one is something that is likeliest to occur in winter: frozen pipes. This can affect your airflow greatly, but there is a pretty straightforward way to address this problem.

First, see if you can check for the level of refrigerant in the system. It is possible that adding some refrigerant can help to almost immediately address the issue of frozen pipes and to prevent it from happening again in the future. If your upstairs is hot but your downstairs is cold, another common cause is something restricting the airflow. This is most commonly a dirty filter, and replacing it can help the issue of frozen coils (more on this later).

A final possible issue with frozen coils is that there may be a problem with your ductwork. If there are still airflow issues after you replace the filter, then try to visually inspect for any disconnected or crushed sections. To repair this (or simply to verify the damage), be sure to call in a professional as soon as you can!

4. LEAKING WATER

Plenty of people worry that they don’t have the expertise to diagnose or repair issues with the air conditioner. However, sometimes things are pretty straightforward. For example, issues with uneven airflow can be caused water leaking from your air conditioning unit.

While this is a straightforward problem in terms of air temperature, there are a variety of possible solutions for this issue. First, like frozen coils, it may be caused by a clogged filter, and replacing that filter may be able to address the problem. Secondly, there may be a cracked drain line that you can visually identify, and repairing this can immediately fix the leak.

Finally, there may be a problem with your insulation pulling itself too far away from the refrigerant lines. Replacing and repairing the insulation so that it is in its proper place can help to make sure that the water stops leaking.

Everything that we just described can be difficult for most people to diagnose, and it’s even more difficult to repair. To make things easier and to cool your house down as soon as possible, we definitely recommend calling in an expert!

5. IT’S “CURTAINS” FOR THE HEAT

Sometimes, the devil is in the details. And in this particular scenario, the details involve which area of the house is experiencing uneven temperature issues.

For instance, the problem may be localized to rooms that are facing the south. For these rooms, the problem is that during warmer times of the day, the sun is going to make it extra hard to keep these rooms cool.

Fortunately, we’ve got a couple of different solutions if your upstairs is hot but your downstairs is cold. The “low-tech” solution is simply to put blackout curtains over those specific windows to keep things cool. The “high-tech” solution is to hire a professional to install different zoning systems. This will give you more specific control over the temperature in different areas of your home.

THE PROS YOU NEED

You know now some of the best ways fix the problems you are having with uneven temperature in your home. However, it’s also important to know a good, local professional to call when things get really hairy. Do you know who you can call?

That’s where we come in. One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Charlotte is your local authority in “keeping your cool” even when the outside temperatures are blazing. To see how we can help you chill out, give us a call today at (704) 703-4220!