Why is it Always Hotter Upstairs in my Home?

July 10, 2020

A common problem for some two-story homes is the upstairs being hotter than the downstairs. You feel nice and comfortable downstairs, but when you go upstairs you feel noticeably warmer. Here are a few of the reasons this occurs. Warm Air Rises As you may remember learning in school, warm air rises while cool air sinks. Your home will naturally be warmer upstairs simply due to physics. Hot Roof Your roof collects a lot of heat in the summer as the sun beats down on it for hours every day. The heat moves into your attic and then into the top floor of your home. Insulation helps prevent this, but it can’t stop all heat from transferring. However, insulation can wear down after time, so sometimes replacing or adding more insulation is needed. This can help keep the upstairs cooler and help with energy efficiency as well. Your Air Conditioner Is Old Most AC units last about 15 to 20 years. Aging air condition systems may not cool as well as they used to. If your upstairs is significantly hotter than your downstairs, it’s entirely possible your old AC unit just can’t push enough cool air throughout your home. GVEC...

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Why It’s a Bad Idea to Turn Your AC/Heating Completely Off When You’re Away from Home

March 18, 2020

Everyone wants to try to save on their home’s utility bills. So, whenever there’s an opportunity to cut down on using your heat or air conditioning significantly, you might be tempted to take it. One such opportunity is when you’re away from home for an extended length of time. However, this isn’t as great of an idea as it sounds. Here are three reasons why you shouldn’t completely turn off your AC/heating system while you’re away. 1. Running the Risk of Frozen or Bursting Pipes Completely turning off your heat during freezing temperatures increases the risk of your pipes freezing. Because water expands when it freezes, stress is put on your pipes that can cause them to burst and flood your home. 2. Excess Wear and Tear on Your Appliances Appliances like your refrigerator are designed to respond to their ambient environments. If the inside of your house becomes too hot, your refrigerator will go into overdrive to keep its contents cool. When the temperature is too cold indoors, the freezer compartment of your refrigerator may shut off, thinking it has done its job. The problem is that your frozen food will defrost. 3. Elevated Humidity Levels Your air conditioner...

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