Please tell me any ways you can think of to cool a steel building?
Question:This is an arch steel building shaped similar to a quonset hut. There are no trusses at all. I know I can insulate it, but I don't want the fiberglass insulation. I am going to plant a few trees that shouldn't get any taller than 15' or so around it. I am going to paint it white, and install a couple of turbine vents. (This building is 20' W x 30' L x 14' H.)
Also, I am in a part of the country that is quite hot (and usually dry) in the summer, and quite humid in the spring. Is there anything else I can do, short of installing an air conditioner or an evaporative cooler? (I know that evaporative coolers are bad for metal buildings, as it puts a heckuvalot of water in the interior air.)
Answers:
Radiant barrier paint could help. Spray on insulation which comes in a few varieties would work very well. Most are polyurethane. There is also a radiant bubble insulation. None of these involve fiberglass.
The other hints have already been provided.
In Hawaii, they have ways of moving the air through the upper part of a building. I suggest large windows at either end with a large fan to move the air around. (Louvered) AC might be your best option, depending on how much heat you can take.
you put louvered openings at opposite ends of the building.
On one end you put a large fan attached to the louvers. Install a thermostat that will turn the fan on automatically at what ever temp you decide. That way even if your not there the bld. should stay cooler.
Get large fans to move the air inside the building. Moving air will cool the building to some degree. Check out bigassfans.com
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