You’ve probably noticed a temperature change by simply walking up a flight of stairs. That temperature comparison in the summer tends to be especially jarring. Cooling your home during those summer months is already a task, so what should you do if you don’t have an air conditioner?
Larson Home Services is here to help you with that. We’ll help break down why your upstairs gets so hot, and provide you with effective ways to keep it cool in the summer without AC.
Table of Contents
Understanding Why Upstairs Gets So Hot
Before delving into the solutions, let’s cover the reasons why the upstairs is warmer than the downstairs.
Heat rises. Due to the law of physics, heat rises. Thus, the upper levels of your home are going to be warmer than the lower levels.
Most houses are not built with upstairs cooling in mind. Because most homes don’t have upstairs cooling in mind, the upstairs lacks ventilation and insulation. This prevents the upstairs from getting the same level as the heating.
Hot roofing. Roofing (especially darker roofs) has the potential to get very hot in the summer. The heat your roof experiences then radiate into the upstairs rooms.
Inadequate AC size. Another reason would be the inadequate AC size of your home. Improper AC size for your home prevents the flow of cool air from being evenly distributed throughout the house. If this is the case, the upper levels of your home are probably much warmer than the lower.
Natural Airflow Solutions
Now that we’ve covered why the upstairs gets so hot, we can move on to solutions. Here are some natural airflow solutions to keep your upstairs cool in the summer:
Using Ceiling and Window Fans 
One way to cool your upstairs rooms in the summer is the use of ceiling and window fans. Strategic and proper placement of both drives the best cooling. For ceiling fans, set them counterclockwise so that they are pushing air straight down. Then, increase speed on the hottest days.
You can also install window fans. If you have multiple windows upstairs, window fans are a great option for ventilation and cooling. You can even install window fans in windows on opposite sides of the room to create a cross-breeze, further maximizing airflow and cooling.
Nighttime Ventilation Techniques
Temperatures drop during the night, so this is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of cooler summer evenings. So at night, open your windows to bring in the cool night air. Doing this not only will cool your home, but you’ll also sleep better as well!
With the cooler air circulating throughout your home during the nighttime hours, you’ll wake up to a cool home. This is known as night-flush ventilation.
Shade and Sunlight Management
The next type of solution would be shade and sunlight management. These methods better cool your home by preventing the sun from beating down on it. Things like shades, curtains, and blinds help block incoming solar radiation.
Here are some other recommendations to better cool your upstairs:
Benefits of Reflective Window Films
A beneficial solution would be installing reflective window films on your windows, both upstairs and downstairs. These reflective window films reflect the incoming sunlight and solar radiation, preventing them from heating your home. On top of that, saves you some money on your energy bill.
Planting Shade Trees 
Another great sunlight management solution is planting trees or shrubs near and around your home. Trees and shrubs provide shade, blocking sunlight and keeping your house cooler in the summertime. In terms of providing shade for the upper levels of your home, it’s going to take some time for the trees to grow. So this wouldn’t be an instant solution for the upstairs.
Enhancing Roof and Attic Insulation
One aspect that shouldn’t be overlooked is roof and attic insulation. Sufficient roof and attic insulation plays a role in the temperature of your home’s upper levels.
Importance of Proper Roof Ventilation
Roof and attic insulation are efficient methods that cool your home’s upstairs rooms and boost energy efficiency. Roof insulation kits happen to be on the cheaper side as well. Proper roof ventilation is important because it fixes areas that get too hot in the summer by preventing the transfer of heat.
Alternative Cooling Methods
Some other alternative cooling methods that are efficient in cooling the upstairs without AC include:
- Evaporative coolers (Removes latent heat from the space it’s set in)
- Exhaust fans (Use in the bathroom to capture heat)
- Install an exterior window shade (Shields home from solar radiation and direct sunlight)
Long-Term Home Improvements
For effective cooling in the long run, home improvements like installing better insulation or upgrading windows and roofing materials are great answers to that equation. While many of the other methods are more for the short-term, these solutions are the best route to go for long-term home improvements.
