Attic Insulation/Ventilation Question

[BillH]

I have a 5 year old 2-story house in Dallas. Attic is about 1600 square feet, and the roof is complex with a number of peaks and only a few relatively short horizontal ridges. Ventilation is roughly to code, using about a dozen 8 x 16 soffit vents and mushroom vents at or near most peaks. Insulation is blow-in fiberglass and it's ok - about R-40. I have 2 issues, would appreciate some advice.

First, in the Spring, on windy days, the airflow thru the vents pushes loose-fill all over the place. I have to carefully rake it back into place before the start of the cooling season each year. It's a real pain. Does anyone else have this problem? I was thinking of installing some sort of vertical baffles, like a thin plastic that I every 3rd or 4th joist to help hold the heaps into place. Wouldn't fasten them down as I do have to get to something electrical or plumbing every now and then. Is this a good idea?

Second, in the Summer, on very hot calm days, the air stagnates in the attic. I suspect it just doesn't have the "oomph" to make the S-turn needed to flow out of the mushroom vents. It gets real hot up there. The floor insulation keeps this out of the house proper, but the mile of cheap AC flex duct soaks up a lot of heat and so does the underside of the roof. I'd just like it a bit cooler up there, not looking for a miracle. Was wondering if the addition of a medium size or slow moving fan mounted a few feet off the attic floor under the highest roof peak, with a tube extending upward to within a few feet of a cluster of mushroom vents would help the convection along. Will this help?

Thanks! Bill

[SQLit]

Me thinks your a worry wart.

Installing a attic fan or turbines will help a bit. I installed a attic fan in the last house. Even a fan properly sized for the house it still did not really lower the temp much. I put a thermal couple in the attic before I installed the fan.

[mm]

Would these baffles cover the insulation? So it didn't blow around? If yes, I would think it would help. I was going to suggest fiberglass batting to sit on top of the insulation that blows around.

Just in the middle of the attic? Not on the floor but not on the roof? Never heard of that. Remember that if it doesn't actually blow the air out of the attic, it will be adding more heat to the attic. A breeze may feel good on your skin, because your sweat evaporates, but in the absence of a person who feels good, moving air is just hotter air than the same air when it is isn't moving.

I think for a little bit more same money and effort you can put a fan in the roof, blowing out.

Oh, I missed the tube. Yes it would help, but I think some/much of the hot air will still end up back int he attic. Better a fan in the roof iteself, close to the top, but it doesn't have to be all the way.

I live in Baltimroe where it doesn't get as hot as Dallas, but otoh, I live in a little valley and don't have much normal breeze, and I don't think I ever had the breeze you have in your attic sometimes.

After the fan went in, it was 10 degrees cooler on the 2nd floor, maybe 30 degrees cooler in the attic. I don't know why they're not more popular. I have a switch in the second floor hall to turn it off in the early spring and late fall, so that the sun heats the attic and the attic heats my house.