I have an extremely hot loft, which is keeping the top half of my house hot as well. I'm running 2 large air conditioners upstairs, but the heat isn't escaping through the loft which is at least 10 degrees hotter. Downstairs is around 5-6 degrees cooler than upstairs.
I don't have a loft skylight (nor the will or cash to install one), so does anyone have any ideas on how to cool the loft so that I can get rid of some heat upstairs?
Thanks!
put an extract fan in the loft area, either to an outside wall or a chimney or even through a tile
On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 19:19:24 GMT someone who may be "mentalguy2004" wrote this:-
Any particular reason why you are burning electricity to run these two gadgets? Could you not open the windows? Depending on the orientation and design of the house it should be possible to provide gentle ventilation that will keep the house cool via the windows and other ventilators. This sort of passive ventilation should be designed into all houses, by many builders appear ignorant of it.
The loft should have suitable ventilation. If it doesn't then I would be worried about rot. There are plenty of descriptions of loft ventilation on the web.
Ummm, because it's too hot and opening the windows doesn't help.
Thanks.
I have the same problem - it's a bit like living inside a storage heater in the current hot weather. I don't have any aircon upstairs, but I've found that putting big fans in two open windows to shift as much air through the upper floor makes a big difference. This cools the house quite quickly once the temperature drops a bit in the evening. I put one fan on the cooler north side of the house to draw air into that room, and another blowing outwards in a window on the south-facing side, and leave the doors open to allow a through draught
I'm also going to improve the insulation to prevent the heat in the loft going through the ceiling into the upper floor. Hopefully it will also help my winter fuel bills. There's only a couple of inches of insulation at the moment - way too little by today's standards.
Mike
I might try the fan/window idea, thanks. Our house is a mid-terrace, so in the winter we don't use much heating, as the front and back are sheltered, the loft insulation is good and the neighbours keep us warm.... but it's horrible in the summer. Hardly any breeze and the air is very still.
Because it is too hot?
One could, it makes very little difference however.
Not it won't, if the house is reasonably well insulated and has reasonable solar gain the upstairs is going to be too hot in summer. There are numerous greeny house is Milton Keynes and Oxford which are abandoned in summer because they are unbearable.
How old do you think the house is?
Suitable and adequate loft ventilation to prevent rot will have almost zero effect upon temperature in the loft.
On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 19:40:17 GMT someone who may be "mentalguy2004" wrote this:-
Then the house may be badly designed, though without looking at it I couldn't say.
On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 21:45:19 +0100 someone who may be Peter Parry wrote this:-
That depends on how well the house is designed for natural ventilation. I know of houses, including my own, where the appropriate use of windows and vents allows a nice even temperature to be maintained in hot weather, day and night, including the southward facing public rooms.
It is usually not even necessary to run the extract fan in summer when having a shower or bath. The natural ventilation extracts the damp air very well.
I disagree, having seen all sorts of naturally ventilated buildings.
Tick.
Tick.
Cross.
The upstairs may be too hot in summer, but only if the house is badly designed.
Not places I frequent. Were they designed for passive solar ventilation? When were they designed?
No idea. However, in the absence of more information, I assume the OP has a mass built house rather then one designed by an engineer.
That depends on how it is designed and operated.
Design doesn't come into it...EG my house was a baking 25C inside and 31C outside with no air movement, how is opening a window going to cool it down?
Not without spending any money, no...you've already stated that it's a mid terraced, which rules out knocking a large hole through a gable wall and putting a window in, the loft windows are out which severely limits your options...you could try adding another 150mm of insulation up there but this won't allow the heat to escape which is already there, it /may/ stop some of it coming through the ceilings though. - unless....you insulate under the roof felt/battens....you can affix fibreglass by stapling plastic or wire mesh to the roof joists, but don't use polythene sheeting otherwise your roof will rot away.
HTH
On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 19:48:27 GMT someone who may be "mentalguy2004" wrote this:-
Which directions do the exposed walls face?
Switch off the ac, there are far better ways to cool a house with that much dosh.
NT
On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 21:50:31 GMT someone who may be "Phil L" wrote this:-
Oh yes it does:-)
As I keep on saying, that depends on the design and how the building is operated. If it has suitable high level windows or vents then the hot air will escape through them and draw in cooler air from lower down, moderating the temperature during the day by counteracting solar gain. Leave the windows open at night and the house will be cool in the morning. With decent insulation it will not become too warm the next day.
In the absence of suitable vents proper design will include windows that can be safely locked open for the ground floor and any other easily accessible windows.
While nothing substitutes for proper design I have managed to keep mass produced houses cool by suitable ventilation. One tip is to operate the windows so that the air drawn in comes from the side of the house in shadow.
This is a subtle process. Gales through the windows mean they are not at the correct settings.
Indeed. So was mine today...downstairs where I kept the windows shut, curtains mostly closed, and the large brick chimneys and concrete floors held it down to that.
Upstairs it rapidly shot past 30C as thecomputer equipment heated it up..
Its very hard to cool BELO ambient..your best bet is to install thermal mass that will keep cool during the day and release its heat at night.
Lofts will often rise well ABOVE ambient due to solar heating. All you can do is thatch the roof really :D Its the case for having insulation OUTSIDE the structure...keep the thermal mass inisde and moderate extremes..
Ventilation may help to reduce the loft to ambient temp, but thats only if the wind blows..
On Mon, 03 Jul 2006 00:03:09 +0100 someone who may be The Natural Philosopher wrote this:-
Since you kept the windows shut you have demonstrated that keeping the windows shut will not cool things down. Congratulations, though it was unnecessary to conduct this experiment as I would have told you this if you had asked.
A sensible way of reducing solar gain.
Incorrect.
Hot air rises. With suitable high and low level vents the temperature in the loft can be moderated. It will probably not be as low as in the house, as the tiles are thinner than the walls, but it should not be "baking".
Making electricity contributes to the heat.
Shade windows where the sun is coming in, draw curtains work to a greater or lesser extent. Open doors and windows to allow some air movement. Stay in the shade.
It's just as hot for us, we manage without AC.
Mary
>
Yes, open upper storey windows as well as ground floor ones. There will be air movement even if there is no wind.
Mary
>On Mon, 3 Jul 2006 12:50:44 +0100 someone who may be "Mary Fisher" wrote this:-
Indeed. Boys, in particular, seem addicted to toys.
Meanwhile it is perfectly possible to manage without such toys.
Put in over 12" of insulation. It works both ways keeping heat in and out. Make sure the loft is sealed using silicon sealant where there are holes and a sealed and insulated hatch cover.
Two A/Cs? It is not that hot.
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