Having a properly vented attic is the best way to keep attic cool because it allows the hot air to escape during the summer.
Townhouse air conditioner in attic gets too hot.
Install vent less air conditioning units.
Here is what the winter stack effect looks like.
But then you still have a really crappy house.
It wants to move.
Note the air escaping through recessed lights the attic hatch and so forth.
From the boiler the water gets pumped through a network of tubes set.
Installing a thermostat on both floors can help the cooling system detect which areas in your home are too hot or just right so only the necessary amount of energy is used to keep you cool.
If your upstairs is 80 and it is 95 outside you are increasing the temp by opening a window not decreasing it.
In order to let air out other air has to come in.
An overheated attic can bake asphalt shingles on the roof and cause them to deteriorate.
When the attic and attic access are not properly sealed and insulated the hot air coming in through the roof can leak into the lower floors of the home.
An unventilated attic can reach 150 degrees in the heat of summer 50 degrees higher than it should be.
In the summer the hot air from the attic pushes into the house letting hot muggy air in and roasting your second floor in the process.
When your ac unit starts pumping cool air into your townhouse warmer air in the space is going to quickly try to make it s way to the highest point it can find.
In addition hot air in your attic could increase moisture levels which could result in wood rot and mold growth.
It s a thermodynamic principle that hot air will rise in order to try and escape an enclosed space like your home.
Since hot air rises the rooms upstairs in your home will likely be much warmer than those on the lower level.
If you want to know how to keep upstairs cool and not blazing hot during the summer this guide can help.
Suck cool air conditioned air into the attic and of course it won t be so hot.
If hot air is allowed to sit in your attic it could overheat the shingles on your roof and cause damage.
Even with the central air conditioner running on full blast it seems like the top level of a home never gets as cold as the rest of the house.
Fortunately there are a few things you can try.
Whereas circulating air delivers the heat in a forced air system it s water that does the job in a hydronic radiant setup.
It wants to move.
Let the hot air escape.
It ll also help reduce up down imbalance by counteracting reverse stack.
Open a window on the top floor.
And it can cause your air conditioner to work harder than it needs to and send your energy bills soaring with the temperature.
Don t do this if you live somewhere that actually gets hot.