Air Conditioning Question, it's damn hot

[Jschmuck2]

So let me just preface this by saying, yes, I know that hot air rises but I'm not sure if it rises this much.

I live in a two story condo and when we run the air on days like today, the downstairs cools down very quickly while the upstairs remains scorching. According to my non contact thermometer, downstairs it's 78 while upstairs in my room it's a wonderful 89 degrees and sweaty.

Is this normal? I'm going to guess no.

 

[nonameo]

Hot air rises.

 

[Gothgar]

are your vents opened upstairs?

try closing your vents about halfway downstairs, so that more of the cold air makes it's way upstairs

 

[EarthwormJim]

Just close your downstairs vents completely. I have to do the same in my two story house during the summer.

Right now it's 118 outside and my A/C can barely keep up (80 in my room). We have to run it at night too so we can build up some cold air in the house, otherwise it'll be 90 inside.

It's not just the fact that hot air rises either, your 2nd floor is the closest living space to the roof which gets hit by the sun all day long.

 

[Alyx]

Yeah. My house last year was like this, usually 10 degrees hotter up stairs. We had an open living room going to second floor, so you could see where you would be nice and cold and happy while sitting at the computer in the loft.

 

[Bill Brasky]

I live in a similar setup, and all vents are closed except for in bedrooms. We keep ceiling fans going so the condo stays pretty uniform.

 

[HappyPuppy]

You probably don't have an upstairs return duct. You're fucked.