Home cooling question?
Question:House cooling.. odd question?
My neighbor just cut down a very large tree that used to shade my house. Ever since it was cut down my house has gotten very hot causing me to run my AC much more.
Would putting a mist hose on the roof take enough heat out of my house to make it worthwhile?
or
should i build a retractable tarp awning about 3 feet above my roof to absorbe the heat?
or
do you guys have a better idea
Answers:
You are going to get into much expense trying to shade the complete side of the house. Would plant small super shade trees (If possible) but while waiting for them to grow, would install thicker curtains on all windows this side of house. Since your house is probably well insulated you are probably pretty well covered in this area, You are probably going to get most of solar heat through windows and doors. By covering the windows and doors with thick shades and/or curtains you should cut your loss a great deal..
try drawing the shades ,and putting heaver ones up , but the mist thing will help but your water bill will go up
You have to consider that either or both the water mist system and the tarp are going to require continuing maintenance. The energy savings you may experience in air conditioning will be offset by the initial expense of installation and continuing maintenance expense of either system.
The best bang for your buck is a properly functioning air conditioning system. Proper referigerant charge, maintaining clean filters, periodically cleaning condensing coils (outside - and make sure the fins are not bent), balanced air flow, properly sealed and insulated ducts to prevent loss, all add to the efficiency of your current system.
Also, adding insulation to your home can do a better job of keeping the heat out than a shade tree, misting system, or a tarp awning.
Many times the installation of rooftop "whirly-bird" vents, or better yet, one or two power vents can help with a/c costs significantly. First - determine that you have soffit vents (in all liklihood you do). Make sure that they are clear, free of blockage by insulation etc. Power roof vents are not difficult to install if you are nominally handy and they do come with good instructions. You must have a receptacle in the attic area to operate them, so if you aren't handy with electricity, have one installed. The power vents will come with a thermostat which can be set for about 90 degrees. When the attic temperature reaches 90, the power vents will come on. What they do is draw air from the soffit vents and discharge it from the power vent effectively cooling down the attic area. Power vents are sold in different sizes to handle different square footages, so determine you attic's square footage and buy accordingly. When you are in the attic installing your new venting, it wouldn't be a bad time to make sure that you have 9" minimum of insulation in the attic. If you find that you need more insulation, there is fiberglass insulation sold now that is of the "non-itchy" variety, purchase un-backed batts and install over your existing insulation. DON'T inadvertantly cover over your soffit venting when you install the new insulation.
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