Third Floor Hot Because Heat Rises

Physics is the challenge here because hot air rises and cold air sinks.

Third floor hot because heat rises.

First why is the second floor hot. 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. These small heating and cooling systems focus on one room so you can control the temperature independently in each room where a unit is installed.

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. Heat from any source naturally rises. 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. Unfortunately for many owners of two story homes varying heat loss or heat gain is a common problem.

Your roof absorbs a ton of heat from the sun unless you have a lot of shady tree cover. 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. Two story homes often require more cool airflow to the second floor during the summertime and more warm airflow on the first floor in the wintertime. Your third floor is hotter than the rest of the house in the summer because the heat gets trapped there.

All that hot air moves through your roof into the attic and ultimately into your top. So your upstairs has a natural tendency to be warmer than lower levels.