Third Floor Hot Because Heat Rises

So your upstairs has a natural tendency to be warmer than lower levels.

Third floor hot because heat rises.

All that hot air moves through your roof into the attic and ultimately into your top. Your roof absorbs a ton of heat from the sun unless you have a lot of shady tree cover. Your third floor is hotter than the rest of the house in the summer because the heat gets trapped there. Unfortunately for many owners of two story homes varying heat loss or heat gain is a common problem.

Heat from any source naturally rises. Although true this is far from the main culprit of an uncomfortable upstairs and there is plenty that can be done to even the temperatures in your 2 story home. Physics is the challenge here because hot air rises and cold air sinks. First why is the second floor hot.

In an enclosed room the hottest air will always be at the top or near the ceiling which is why ceiling fans are used to circulate heated air from top to bottom. The most common rationale for a warmer second floor is that heat rises. This is because heated air is thinner and less dense than cooler air. You have warmth rising from the first floor plus the sun beating down on the roof and those two factors work together to make the third floor the hottest place in the house.

Ductless mini splits are ideal for large homes where you only want to heat or cool the rooms you use the most. Don t wait until summer to correct this issue.