How to Get Heat From Upstairs Down to the Lower Level

These ducts carry hot air to two separate rooms.

It is common knowledge that hot air rises and cold air sinks. In a two story house with only one thermostat, this generally means that the upper floors are warmer than the lower floors. Depending on the type of heating system installed in the house, there are easy ways to manually balance the existing system. The most effective way to correct this issue is to replace the existing single-zone system with a multi-zone heating system.

Things You'll Need

• Thermometer
• Pencil or pen
• Paper

Instructions

Hot Water or Steam Radiators

1. Close all the doors in the house just before going to bed for the night.

2. Take the temperature of each room using a thermometer. Write the temperature down.

3. Open radiator valves in rooms that are colder than the thermostat by giving them a one-quarter turn counter-clockwise.

4. Close radiator valves in rooms that are warmer than the thermostat by giving them a one-quarter turn clockwise.

5. Repeat over several days until the temperature in each room is the same.

Forced Hot Air Systems

1. Close all of the doors in the house.

2. Turn up the set point on the thermostat until the furnace begins to fire.

3. Measure and record the temperature in each room with a thermometer after the thermostat reaches the new set point and the furnace stops firing.

4. Slightly close dampers serving warm rooms and slightly open dampers serving cold rooms. The dampers are usually located in either the basement or attic. Hot air dampers are located where the heat duct separates from a main line to supply a single register, usually in the basement or attic. The handle on the damper is parallel to the blade of the damper. If the handle is pointing across the duct, the damper is closed. If the handle is pointing along the duct, the handle is open.

5. Repeat this process until the rooms are balanced.

Tips & Warnings

• If there is room in the stairwell, install a ceiling fan to blow hot air down to the lower level.

• Vacuum all return grills and replace the air filter on your furnace to ensure that the system is operating efficiently.

• Close doors to isolate each radiator or register from the thermostat and eliminate air circulation from the balancing procedure.

• Steam and circulating hot water systems are very slow to react to thermostat changes. It will take several days to balance these kinds of systems.

• Radiators are hot. Use caution so you do not burn yourself.

• Do not close any radiator valves all the way. Without circulation, the radiator can rust though and will require replacement.

References

• Natural Resources Canada: Maximizing Efficiency in Forced Air Heating Systems
• Ask Jon Eakes: Balancing Forced Air Heating & Air Conditioning Air Flow