Any "tricks" for cooling down the upper story of my house?

I *rent* a rather large 2 story + a garage home that is about 20 years old. (I DON'T own it, so putting much money into the solution is not an option...)It was built to be a rental, so I've found that a lot of things were done very cheaply. The upper floor, which is where my bedroom, my bathroom and my office are, is SO HOT during the summer, even with the AC on for a long time.

What are some things I can do to help cool down the upstairs without keeping the air on for days in order to do so?

Also, is it better to keep my upstairs office AC vents closed as well as the door since I don't use it as often, or would it be better if I keep the vents for the AC and the door open in the office to help cool my bedroom?

Thanks!

This tip will make a surprising difference in the amount of heat in your home, and it will save you significant $$$ on your electric bill, and it's good for the environment:

SWITCH TO CFL's

Switch your standard incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL's). 95% of the energy used by a standard bulb is used to produce heat, only 5% is used to actually produce light. By switching to CFL's you will create a noticeable difference in the temperature during nighttime hours. You will save money on your electric bill not only because the CFL's consume a fraction of the electricity of incandescents, but also because your air conditioner will not have to work as hard to offset the heat created by the bulbs.

You might also consider using these savings to invest in some light insulating. Simply make sure there are no gaps around windows and doors where costly cold air can leak out and warm air can leak in. If you find any, basic caulk from any hardware store will do the job.

There are no tricks. AC.

insulation in the walls and attic is most helpful. an attic fan which provides air exchanges in the attic will help. double insulated windows - cost money, never mind. try heavy drapes? open opposite windows if there is a breeze, then turn on the a/c.

I keep my upstairs cooler by using heavy lined drapes on the windows that block out heat and light. They cost a little more tha regular curtains, but you can take them with you when you move. I found mine on sale. Also, use a ceiling fan, or other type of fan to keep the air moving. As for your office. I don't see why you would have to keep it cool all of the time if you don't use it often. However I would use a draft protector at the bottom of the office door so you don't let warm air out.

Try to block the sun from outside the window. I cut a piece of Styrofoam and the size of my window pane and held in place with a bungee cord. It requires to eye hooks screwed into the frame of the window pane to hold a bungee cord and hold the Styrofoam up against the window pane. The class didn't crack but you want to be aware that may be it might. It gets pretty hot on the glass but fortunately it keeps the heat out.

If you get a piece of foil faced foam insulation and cut the size of the whole window then you can crack the window on top and bottom to let the heat escape and have a solid foam on the inside to reflect and insulate against heat gain from the sun. Good luck

The big thing you could do is ask your landlord about doing improvements and deducting the amount it cost off your rent. If they say yes, then you'll want to put in an attic fan and vent system to force the extremely hot air up there outside. Your roof makes your attic very hot which make it harder to keep the upstairs cool.

Also try and keep the windows open at night to get free cool air and shut and cover them so the sun doesn't come in during the day.

Fans are a good help ( the kind that hang from your ceiling) They stir all the hot and cold air around, making it slightly cooler. I know you can easily buy (for a fair price) and install them.
Another kind of more natural method is to get a towel all wet, then hang it up. All the hot air is absorbed up by the water.
Hope this helps!

Use all the hints mentioned then do this. Get a small 110 volt a/c for your bedroom, 8,000 to 10,000 btu should do it. Don't over-think the problem. you use the bedroom for sleep and confort, use a fan to circulate the air during the day, sleep cool at night!

Install an attic fan with an automatic temperature sensor. When the temperature reaches approx. 80 degrees the attic fan automaticlly goes on and removes the hot air by exhaust, thus keeping the living area nice and comfy. Huge a/c savings.

Open vents on top floor, close vents on bottom. A cost effective idea would be a whole house fan. If attic access hole is standard size, you should be able to buy a relatively cheap fan. What it does is pull air up and out, and cool air is on the bottom and basement and can be fanned up and into where you want it. Fairly easy and cheap and you can take it with you when you move.

At night when it is cooler outside than inside, create airflow by doing the following: turn off your AC, open a downstairs window, put a fan in an upstairs window facing out (so the air blows out), shut the doors to any rooms you aren't using or don't want air to flow through creating a more simple path for the air to flow. This will pull air from the cooler downstairs up through the 2nd story. This method also works if you pull air from one 2nd floor window to another.

You need to ask your landlord to install an atic fan, or offer to pay for one and have it taken off your rent.
They are like a airplane blades except smaller. It sucks air from the downstairs up thru the windows in the upstairs and cools the whole house. We were really poor when I was a kid and my dad put one in the upstairs window. It was almost like helicopter blades sucking the air into the upstairs of our house. It cooled the whole place off and pulled my dress up over my waist when I went up the stairs. I have one sitting in my garage I bought in 1999 for $4 bucks at an auction. Its all caged in, I am not sure what the seller was doing with it.
They put them in by cutting a hole in the drywall in the ceiling and mounting them to the 2x4's or whatever is up there. Then they can be attached easily to the wiring in your house so you can flick it on with a light switch.