Transfer Grille/Jumper Duct Placement

[agwalker]

I own a 2 story ~1700 sq ft house in middle Tennessee approximately 30 yrs old. In the summer, we have approximately a 5 degree temperature difference between the downstairs and upstairs. I'm guessing the main reason the upstairs is so hot is because there is no return air in any room or in the hallway. In fact, there is only one large return air on the main level (The main level is relatively open, so all rooms down there tend to stay approximately the same temperature).

Our house is designed such that we have a main stairwell in the center of the house with a landing and 3 bedrooms and one bathroom upstairs. This is our first home we have owned, so I'm relatively new to thinking about HVAC issues, but in doing my research, it seems that two relatively easy ways to improve the airflow would either be jumper ducts or transfer grilles. My main concern is that the supply register are on the ceiling. Will installing jumper ducts in the ceiling or transfer grilles above the doors even be helpful in this situation? I don't really have the ability to do high-low transfer grilles. Any advice would be greatly appreciated by me and my family!

[George2]

The problem might be not enough return air, but not the return air location (unless the doors are closed to the bedrooms).

You need to get more supply air to the second floor. One way to do this is to install zoning.