DIY Adequate Ventilation for an Upstairs Room

Raise the windows at least once per day, to allow outside air to circulate through the upstairs room. Do this even if you have forced air conditioning or heating in your home; stale air can accumulate regardless of room temperature. Keep a screen installed, to keep bugs and other critters from slipping in while your window is open.

Operate ceiling fans, no matter the season or temperature outside. Ceiling fans aid room ventilation by keeping the air moving. In summer, operate your ceiling fan on its counter-clockwise setting; this will push air down from the ceiling and whip it around the room. Operate the fan on the clockwise setting during winter; this pulls air up from the floor and sends it across the ceiling and down the walls, mixing cool and warm air and balancing the room temperature. Use of a ceiling fan during summer lessens your need for air conditioning and saves you money on cooling bills as well. Operating ceiling fans during winter means you can turn your thermostat down a few degrees and still feel warm. In winter, keep your ceiling fan on low to keep from feeling a draft.

Place a box fan in your open window, but leave the screen down, to accelerate ventilation in summer. During the hottest parts of the day, face the box fan outward to pull hot air out of the room; once the temperature outside is cooler than the temperature inside, face the fan inward to fill the room with cool air.

Keep your room door open during all ventilation techniques; allowing air to circulate in and out of your room increases ventilation.