During the summer, the sun’s UV rays- the “heat rays” heat up the attic. That’s common knowledge. Since basic physics tells us that heat moves to the cooler area, the heat passes through the ceiling into the living areas of the house, forcing the air conditioner to work harder. This results in higher energy bills.
It’s not unusual for an attic to reach 150 degrees in the summer. That’s a lot of heat pounding down on the air conditioner.
There are ways to keep the attic cooler and lower your energy bills.
The really good news is that these same products also help to remove super cold air in the attic during the winter, lowering your heating costs. Without super frozen air in an attic, ice dams are less likely, and the heat from the living areas is kept in the living spaces. Humid cold air doesn’t get the chance to form ice in the attic, so the insulation and your roofing materials last longer.
Here are the top five ways to keep your attic cool:
Attic Fan
An attic fan works by drawing air directly out of the attic. It is installed by a louvered gable vent, and wired to a circuit in the house. It’s best to have an electrician make sure that the amperage of the fan doesn’t exceed the load of the chosen circuit, or that a new circuit needs to be installed.
Read the electrical amperage and wattage carefully- these devices can add a lot to a utility bill.
Soffit vents need to be installed so the fan can draw outside air in and through the attic.
Solar Attic Fan
Solar attic fans work the same as the electric models, except that during the day, they run off a solar panel and at night, off battery power, which is charged by the panels during the day.
The air is drawn through vents in the roof-mounted device. Shingles and the decking must be cut for the installation, and flashing must be installed.
Since no grid electricity is used, the utility bill will only reflect the energy savings from a cooler attic.
With this device, soffit vents for providing airflow will need installation also.
Whole House Fan
Similar to the attic fan, this device works well in two-story houses. The fan is turned on, and draws air from the inside of the house into and out through the attic. The first floor windows do need to be open for this device to work properly.
In regions where the summer climate is mild, this may be the only need for cooling.
Ridge Vent
A ridge vent is an opening in the ridge or top of the roof. Three inches of decking are cut on either side of the roof top, a solid or mesh vent is installed on top, and the ridge shingles are nailed in place. Space is created for airflow.
Soffit vents are installed under the eaves, and airflows up through the vents and out through the ridge vent. In the summer, the super-heated attic air can escape to the cooler air outside. As it does so, it draws the cooler air from the shaded soffits into the attic.
As air flows over the ridge vent, a vacuum is created on the off side, which pulls air out of the attic. This is called the venturi effect. The Romans used it effectively, and it still works today- without any electricity at all.
Air Turbines
Seen on industrial buildings, garage rooftops and on houses in every city, these old-fashioned but effective devices work without any electricity. They remove heated air from the attic by creating a suction vortex when the wind moves the turbine blades.
Soffit vents are added to provide enough air flow for the turbines to be effective.
The author of this article installed two of these and noticed that without the air conditioner on, the house was an average of 10 degrees lower inside than the outside summer temperature.
Turbines are available at every DIY store, and they are very inexpensive.
DIY center associates can help you decide which model is best for your needs. They can also advise you how to take accurate measurements of the attic space.
This year, keep your home cooler by starting with the attic. It’s the one space often overlooked for energy efficiency.
Source: The author of this article has over 40 years of experience in diverse forms of DIY, home improvement and repair, crafting, designing, and building furniture, outdoor projects and more.
