What Floor Levels Are Warmest And Coldest? (We Checked)

The temperature inside your apartment can depend on how high or low its level is.

This is why knowing the pros and cons of different floor levels is important to choose an apartment that best suits your needs and preferences.

So what floor levels are the warmest and the coldest? How significant is the difference in temperatures across floor levels?

What to Know About the Temperatures on Different Floor Levels:

Apartments on lower floors are colder, while apartments on higher floors tend to be warmer. Mid-level apartments are ideal if you want a more consistent temperature throughout the year. However, many factors, such as location, building materials, and design, can affect apartment temperature.

What Floor Should You Choose if You Want a COLD Apartment?

If you want a cold apartment, you should choose a unit on the lower floors of the building. The coldest units are on the ground floor or the basement level.

Lower-floor apartments are ideal for cold temperatures because warm air naturally rises.

Lower-floor apartments will still be cooler during summer, so you wouldn’t need to use the air-conditioning or cooling equipment as much. The downside is that those in lower-floor apartments will have higher heating bills when winter comes. 

Less exposure to direct sunlight is another reason why lower-floor apartments are ideal if you want cold temperatures. If you live on lower floors, other buildings may block your windows, so you don’t get enough sun and warmth inside your apartment.

The only way to get direct sunlight inside a lower-floor apartment is if you choose a unit with windows facing the south or the west or windows facing the street with no big structures blocking it.

What Floor Should You Choose if You Want a WARM Apartment?

An apartment on higher floors should be your top choice if you want a warm apartment.

As mentioned previously in this article, warm air tends to rise.

So if you live in a higher-floor apartment, the interiors would still feel warm even during the cold months. This means that you get to save on heating bills.

The disadvantage to this is that your apartment will be the warmest during summer, so you’d have to keep turning the air-conditioning up.

Of course, this will increase your electricity bill.

In addition, apartments on higher floors also get more sun, making them warmer. Because higher-floor apartments do not have a lot of buildings and other structures blocking their windows, they get more direct sunlight coming in.

10 Advantages Of Living On Higher Floors People Don’t Realize

Are Top-Floor Apartments Warmer in Winter?

In general, top-floor apartments are warmer in winter.

The main reason why top-floor apartments are generally warmer during winter is because of the warm air rising. When warm air rises, it also warms up the apartments on higher floors, while the lower-floor units stay cold.

Top-floor apartments get more direct sunlight through the windows, adding to the warmth. This is especially nice during winter as the sunlight helps naturally warm the indoor space.

Insulation can also be one of the reasons why top-floor apartments are warmer in winter. If a building is constructed properly and well-designed, top-floor apartments get better insulation.

This is why top-floor apartments get significantly lower heating bills, even during winter.

Does Heat Flow Upwards in Apartment Buildings?

I’ve mentioned several times in this article that warm air tends to rise, which is why lower-floor apartments are colder, and higher-floor apartments are warmer.

Heat generally flows upwards in apartment buildings, and this is all because of convection, which is a natural phenomenon.

Through convection, heat energy tends to move from warmer areas to colder areas. Similarly, in high-rise buildings, the heat on lower floors tends to rise and stay suspended on higher floors, making the latter’s apartments much warmer.

However, it’s important to note that even though heat flows upwards, it can travel in different directions within the building.

Different factors can affect the heat flow inside an apartment building. These factors include the type of heating system the apartment has and the quality of insulation.

If something obstructs the heat flow, the heat energy may not rise, and apartments on lower floors can get warmer.

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How Much Does the Heating Bill Differ Across Floor Levels?

Because of the temperature difference, the heating bill across floor levels can significantly differ.

If you live in a higher-floor apartment, then you would get lower heating bills because your home is warmer even during the winter. On the other hand, lower-floor apartments get higher heating bills because they’re the coldest.

That’s not to say that lower-floor apartments will always spend more on their utility bills.

In summer, apartments on lower floors tend to stay cooler, so the people residing in them won’t feel the need to turn up the air-conditioning or cooling equipment too much. This means that they get lower cooling bills.

Similarly, those on higher floors will get the warmest temperatures during summer, so their cooling bills will be higher.

Save on Heating & Cooling

Of course, there are many practical ways to save on heating and cooling expenses.

Simple things such as closing the windows and sealing them shut can help keep the cold air out during winter to help lower heating bills.

You can also place thick black-out curtains on your windows to help warm the place up.

On the other hand, if you live on the top floor, you can open the windows during summer to let the cool breeze in, which will help you minimize the use of cooling equipment.

Instead of using the AC, you can opt for ceiling fans to help cool your apartment down when it’s hot outside.

Final Thoughts

Always check the pros and cons of different floor levels when looking for an apartment.

Remember that how warm or cold it gets inside your apartment is highly impacted by the floor level you live on.

Other factors that can affect the temperature in apartments include the building location, design, and construction materials, so consider these things as well.

In general, if you prefer warmer temperatures, then you’re better off choosing a high-floor apartment.  If you like colder temperatures, lower-floor apartments would be perfect.

Sources:

Why Top Floor Apartments Get Hot (5 Facts + Useful Tips)

Why Is It Hot Upstairs And Cold Downstairs In Winter?

Heat Rises…And Falls — Stack Effect, Air Movement, & Heat Flow

What Is The Best Apartment Floor To Live On?