Summer Heat

Bruce, I love your fruit metaphors. How do you insulate a cock loft while also allowing space for vents and a fan? And what about the open skylight and problems of access, elctrical lines, and rodents?

callalily

in Insulation 13 years ago

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RBCG | 13 years ago

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We have a three-story townhouse (bottom rental, upper duplex.) The top floor gets really, really hot in the summer. Window ACs work, but they have to really crank. Ceiling fans don’t help, they just seem to bring the hot air down. We’re not sure whether to insulate the cock loft, get one of those skylights which can open to vent the hot air, or something else.   The roof has one of those silver paint jobs, but there is no insulation in the cock loft. On the other hand, it’s not that cold in the winter, so we’re not sure if insulation is the issue. We were thinking of getting the cock-loft insulated, but if the problem is rising heat (and not radiant heat from the roof) then insulation will only compound the problem.    Any suggestions?

Brownstonerlogin | 13 years ago

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If you feel like your ceiing fan is pushing hot air down, you should check to see if it’s switched to run in the correct direction. During summer the blades should be turning counter-clockwise (when you’re standing under, looking up at the fan) to create a cooling breeze. It’s possible your fan is set so the blades are turning clockwise, which is the setting to use in the wintertime, to push the warm air (that’s risen up high) back down into the room. Most fans have a directional switch up on the fan body.

RBCG | 13 years ago

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Good tip, login. But the question remains – will insulation help? Anyone have experience with venting skylights?

callalily | 13 years ago

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Our top floor is really really hot too. We’re getting a new, white (not black) roof and we’re putting in two new air vents. I’m really excited about the air vents! We’re using Leakmasters. Your skylight may have a hidden vent you don’t know about. Ours does. Leakmasters showed us. Ours is also intentionally open to the stairwell. The idea is that hot air goes up the stair, into the attic, and out that vent and one other over the airshaft. For this reason as well as others, we have no intention of insulating the attic.

Silvermax | 13 years ago

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Insulating the roof to the max will greatly reduce the heat effect — that was our experience. And it will also reduce your heating bill in the winter.

brucef | 13 years ago

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Insulation is greatly important. Venting solar heated air is very important also. Using electricity to cool the air in your home is expensive, and hopeless unless you can isolate your air from outside effects. The electricity used to run an exhaust fan that removes super heated air from an attic or cockloft that has sun beating down is vastly more efficient than electricity used to mechanically cool the air in your home. Venting that hot air is the low hanging fruit, insulation is the rest of the fruit on the tree, and HVAC is buying fruit salad at the grocer.

gurv | 13 years ago

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http://cdn.blankslate.com/profile_image.png

gurv I can feel your problem because it happens in summers specially in two-three story house. I think you have to try Exterior Shutters on your window.It will help in absorbing harmful UV rays of sunlight and provide you filtered light, which keep your house warm and cool. It also protect of your home from dust particles and filies.
Ted, http://www.tradeshutters.ie/exterior_shutters.html

bobjohn | 13 years ago

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– paint roof with aluminum reflective coat, – insulate the cockloft – put bigger window ACs or replace them with split unit