Even with central air conditioning, Mary’s two-story Colonial in Newburyport was difficult to keep comfortable. Heat lingered upstairs, making it too hot in the summer and leaving it cold on the first floor in the winter. The result was an uncomfortable home all year long with high energy bills.
Kearney HVAC worked with Mary to identify the root cause of the problem and built a custom heating and cooling solution that would improve comfort across both floors and reduce energy use.
Project Overview
- Home: 2-story colonial
- Location: Newburyport, MA
- Year Built: 1999
- Project Completed: April 2026
- Primary Concerns: Hot second floor, window units upstairs, high energy bills
- Recommended Solution: High-efficiency variable-speed gas furnace and central AC replacement, ductwork redesign, and zoning
- Results: Even heating and cooling across both floors, no need for upstairs window units, and reduced summer electric bills
The Challenge: A Hot Second Floor and High Cooling Bills
Mary’s home already had central AC, but it wasn’t delivering consistently in the areas she needed it most. The upstairs rooms were so hot in the summer that each room required a window AC unit, even while the central system was running. The problem reversed in the winter, leaving the upstairs too cold.
“Our electric bills were pushing $700 per month last summer,” Mary explained. “In the winter, the upstairs was always too hot, causing us to keep the downstairs colder just to make the upstairs manageable.”
The Solution: A Custom System and Ductwork Redesign
A Kearney Comfort Consultant spent about two hours in Mary’s home, discussing her concerns and running diagnostic tests. Air distribution problems like these are a common symptom with poorly designed ductwork. Paired with an aging AC system that struggled to keep up with normal demand, Mary’s problems made sense to our team.
Mary received three different proposals from local companies, and Kearney was the only one to recommend a solution that addressed the underlying issue rather than adding ductless equipment upstairs. This ended up being a lower-cost solution that also eliminated the need for unwanted equipment.
Here’s the full scope of what we did:
- A high-efficiency, variable-speed gas furnace
- A new high-efficiency central air conditioning system
- A redesigned ductwork layout to improve airflow
- Zoning for more control over each floor
- Post-installation airflow testing at every register
Kearney’s Start-to-Finish Experience
Before installation, our install manager coordinated the plan with Mary and kept her informed at every step. Our technicians notified her when they were on the way, giving the family ample time to put the dogs away before the crew arrived.
The installation team protected the home with drop cloths, worked cleanly, and left the house spotless at the end of each day. After the installation, our install manager provided a system tutorial, and the team coordinated city inspections in a timely manner.
“From the initial visit, we knew the team was educated and professional,” Mary said. “They thought outside the box, and their scope of work ended up being less expensive than the alternative.”
The Result: Comfort on Every Floor
The first summer after installation, Mary reported that her electric bill was cut in half thanks to our upgrades. Her family was also able to remove the window units upstairs and no longer has to deal with the seasonal chore of bringing out the AC equipment.
“Everything we wanted and more was facilitated,” Mary said. “We have complete control over each floor for heating and cooling and much more total-home comfort.”
Need a Custom HVAC Solution in MA or NH?
Since 2010, Kearney HVAC has completed nearly 8,000 projects across Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Our team always starts with an in-home consultation to understand how your home is performing, identify the root cause of comfort problems, and design a solution that fits your needs. From clear communication and pre-installation walkthroughs to clean installation and long-term maintenance support, Kearney provides a start-to-finish experience built around homeowners.
