Is your home cold downstairs and hot upstairs? Even though your air conditioner may seem like it works well, the abrupt change in environment can make your home's interior uncomfortable. If you constantly need to change the thermostat setting, take a look at what you need to know about home cooling and residential AC services.

Some Temperature Changes Are Normal

Your warm second floor and cool first floor may have more to do with physics than a broken air conditioner. As you heat air, it expands, becoming less dense. The less dense air moves upwards, above the cooler (and denser) air. This means the hot air naturally rises. The result is a warmer upstairs environment and cooler rooms downstairs.

While the physics of air density can change the temperature between the floors of your home, a dramatic division may come from a faulty AC system. If your air conditioner works harder than normal, doesn't cool the first floor effectively, or can't force cold air to the second-floor spaces, contact a residential AC contractor for an evaluation and repair recommendation.

Clogs Can Cause Uneven Cooling

Why can't the cool air reach your home's second floor? Before you assume the change in temperature is a completely normal physics-related phenomenon, feel the vents. If you can't feel cool air, the system may have a clog. A dirty filter or clogged vents can prevent air from circulating through your home effectively or efficiently.

A partially debris-clogged filter won't allow air to fully pass through. This results in poor airflow and decreased cooling. It's possible the system will force cool air into the ducts nearest to it—on the first or lowest floor of your home. But the clog may make it difficult or impossible for the air conditioner to cool the space on the higher floors.

Along with a dirty filter, clogs in your home's air ducts may cause uneven cooling. A clog in the ducts leading to or on the second floor won't allow air to push through into the vents. If you're not sure whether a clog is the problem with your home's cooling system or what to do about it, call a professional for AC services.

The Wrong Size System May Not Cool Effectively

An AC system needs to match the home's size and energy needs. If the system is too small for the combined square footage and energy loss (through poor insulation, window leaks, and other similar issues), it may not cool the second floor effectively.

For more information, reach out to a residential AC service in your area.