Posts Tagged ‘Hot Air’

Shingles, Framing and Siding Affected by Attic Ventilation

An estimated 90 percent of North American homes have improper attic ventilation. One reason for this is that most homeowners are unaware of its importance. During the summertime, improper ventilation causes temperatures in the attic to build up beyond 160 degrees F. This very hot air eventually passes through the home’s insulation into the living area beneath it. While the homeowner may recognize that the attic is hot, they may not know just how hot it can become.

Excess heat can damage a home in a variety of ways, including damage to both exterior and interior paint. Other items that can be affected are wallpaper and exterior siding. Wood framing may warp, crack or break down. This can also result in what have been dubbed fried shingles, or the premature aging of a home’s roofing system.

When properly ventilated, there is continual airflow from the outside through the attic. The air intake is balanced between the soffits, or eaves, and the air exhaust, which is found at or near the roof’s ridge. This protects the insulation’s efficiency and helps to lower the living space temperature in the area below.

An attic with proper ventilation helps to reduce energy costs by lowering the load on a home’s air conditioning unit. The vents move the air out of the attic before it builds up, causing damage.

During winter months, moisture can increase in attics without proper ventilation. This is often caused by vapors from appliances, as well as by showering and bathing. When condensation accumulates, it can fall on attic insulation and soak the material, making it less efficient. Excess moisture accumulating in an attic can cause shingles to buckle and mildew to grow.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) recommends using a minimum of one square foot of ventilation in the attic for every 300 square feet, dividing the vent area evenly between the intake and exhaust. A roofing contractor can assist the homeowner in calculating the proper ratio, if necessary.

There are a variety of products available to ensure proper ventilation of the home’s attic. Exhaust items include rigid vents with snow guards, turbines, fans and roof louvers. There are solar-powered models, electric one and even some using dual power sources. Similar vent items are available as intake products for attics and other home areas, such as foundation vents, fans for the whole house and gable louvers. For those seeking ventilation and protection from snow for their chimneys as well, reliable roofers can help steer them in the right direction with roof caps, safety caps and other accessories.

Author writes about a variety of topics. If you would like to learn more about roofing contractors, visit http://www.gaf.com/.

Proper Attic Ventilation Is Key For A Comfortable Home

Why do I need proper attic ventilation?

Attics can reach a stifling 165 degrees in the Midwest summers and even higher temperatures in the south. Ventilation exhausts this hot air to the outside and serves to keep the home more comfortable. Also, ventilation helps to protect other parts of the structure such as roof framing and sheeting.

I’ve found that standard passive ventilation like ridge vents and punched aluminum soffit vents do not work well. I’ve cut into enough roofs and felt the hot air rush out.

What about insulation?

Insulation prevents the conduction of heat from warmer to cooler areas.

The thicker the insulation, the longer it takes to equalize the temperature on both sides. In a 150 degree attic with a 70 degree second floor, the insulation will be somewhere between this.

At night as the attic begins to cool, the insulation will hold the heat and therefore will even be hotter that the attic air.

Ductwork in attic?

If you have a 2 story house, odds are you have ductwork somewhere in your attic buried beneath the insulation.

If your air conditioning is properly tuned, there will be a 20 degree drop against the A-coil. Meaning if the air returning to the blower compartment is 72 degrees then the air above the coil should be 52. Just a side note: having a 20 degree drop doesn’t mean your system is dialed in, but not having the drop confirms it. Losing just 5 degrees of heat from the plenum (top of furnace) to the upstairs vents cuts your effective capacity 25%. The hotter the attic means the larger amount of temperature loss, leaving the insulation even hotter. A 12 degree temperature loss is not uncommon, meaning a loss of 60% of capacity.

Here is a typical scenario: The home empties out in the morning and the thermostat raises up to 80 degrees. As it gets warmer throughout the day the attic gets hotter and the insulation gets even more so. At 430pm, the thermostat is set to drop the temperature to 70 degrees. It is 77 degrees in the house, meaning that the discharge temperature at the coil is 57 degrees. And because your a/c is probably not tuned correctly, that 57 degree air might be 61 degrees when it hits the hot duct in the attic and could be 71 degrees at the vent, leaving your poor a/c to run constantly in a futile attempt to cool the house.

Though its cooling off outside, your left fuming inside because your house won’t cool off for several more hours.

What’s the Solution?

The solution is better ventilation, specifically, mechanical ventilation. Solar powered fans do not work. They simply don’t move enough air around, possibly cutting the temperature by 5 degrees, but it won’t be enough for you to notice.

A quality fan that is installed correctly should have at least a 1500 cfm rating. The fan should be installed in a gable wall preferably with a vent in an opposite wall. Thermostat controls in the attic will turn on the fan whenever the attic is above 90 degrees and the attic is hotter than the outside air. Look carefully at the picture: if the fan is installed like this it will not work and will probably curse me for leading you astray. The vent needs to be sealed completely with aluminum, plywood, ductboard, etc around the fan ducting to be effective.

Aaron@onhomecomfort.com
http://www.onhomecomfort.com

Why An Attic Vent Fan Is Critical With Rising Energy Costs

Because heat becomes so intense in the attic, it is important that all homeowners have a proper attic vent fan. Although you could choose one of the top brands currently on the market, if you are interested in saving money and choosing an environmentally friendly solution, you might consider an energy efficiency product that can draw hot air from the attic but without the high cost of using a fan that runs on standard electricity.

Of course, just as an energy efficient fan would pull hot air from the attic, remove stagnant air that may have a foul odor, dry out trusses, and save money each month on utility bills, the right fan would also be beneficial during the winter months. In this case, venting would prevent moisture buildup that ultimately leads to the growth of mold and mildew. In both cases, your home would be more comfortable and a healthier place to live.

One of the best solutions would be to use a fan to vent the attic along with some type of insulator that would stop infrared heat that hot roofs emit. With this, the interior of the attic would be much cooler but by choosing alternative power, the cost to achieve the goal would be minimal. Keep in mind that within the United States, specific codes have been established specific to attic ventilation. However, because these codes are the same regardless of climate, the best option would be a ventilation system that works for everyone while saving money.

Since demand for a house attic fan that runs on alternate power is so high, most of the top manufacturers now offer their own version of an energy efficient unit. As a result, when shopping for the right exhaust system, you have a full range of products, as well as features and price structures. While this is great news, the one mistake you want to avoid is purchasing a solar powered fan that is under powered. Unfortunately, this problem is all too common. Therefore, when looking for the best ventilation system for your attic remember it would be better to purchase too much power than not enough.

You will also find that many of the newer efficiency vents also boast innovative features. A perfect example is one of the newer types of fans on the market that comes with an adjustable thermostat, optional mountain box, and external rotor with welded on blades for less flex and vibration. In addition, with the bearings being sealed, they never need attention. Then with a price of just $.02 an hour, it is easy to see why this fan has become such a popular choice.

Along with an energy efficient attic vent fan saving you tremendous money, as mentioned this option is also environmentally friendly. This means less load is being placed on electric companies, which in turn reduces stress on other things. To see all the different options for systems that run on alternate power, it would be worth the time to conduct an online research for popular manufacturers such as Hunter, as well as those that are lesser known.

Want to slash your energy bill with the installation of an attic vent fan?

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http://www.attic-ventfan.com

Solar Attic Fans – DIY Renewable Energy You Can Afford!

I hear all too often that people are hesitating to move towards renewable energy because of costs. There are a number of small changes you can make that are not expensive that will make a huge change in your home’s overall efficiency and comfort. A solar attic fan is one of the easiest and most effective renewable energy investments you can make in your home.

Why would you use a solar attic fan?

Well, many people already use exhaust fans in their peaked attics or crawl space. The air in these spaces becomes very hot, and by conduction, that heat passes through to the rooms below. This can increase the need for air conditioning and other energy using cooling methods or just make your house hotter during the summer which is uncomfortable. By exhausting the hot air, you reduce conduction and keep your home cooler consequently reducing power consumption in cooling.

In the fall, winter and spring, solar attic fans can also improve ventilation and reduce moisture in the air of your attic which protects anything you have up there as well as your insulation which will be far more effective when dry and well ventilated. Normal attic fans are wired into the AC power of your home while solar attic fans take their power from the very sun that is heating your attic air. If you already have a traditional attic fan in your home, a solar attic fan is an easy investment that will save you money in the long run and set a great example to others in your community.

Depending on your roof configuration, you’ll be able to find a solar attic fan that will meet your need. Some units are self contained and have the fan and the solar panel in the same unit and must be roof mounted while others are designed for separate installation – meaning the solar panel can be mounted in one location and the fan can be mounted in another.

Solar attic fans are absolutely feasible for most DIY enthusiasts. There are several things you need to take into consideration before choosing the solar attic fan for you.

If your roof peaked or flat?
Is your home oriented properly for solar exposure?
Do you have non-shaded area for the solar panel mount?
Do you have a proper air intake to offset the air being blow out (you don’t want a vacuum)?

Solar attic fans run in cost from $300 to $600. If you have someone handy in your home, they can probably complete the entire installation – in face this is a great starter project for renewable energy enthusiasts. You can also have solar attic fans installed by a professional contractor, roofer or handyman if you are so inclined. So if you’re looking for a quick, inexpensive and fairly easy way to make your home more efficient for the summer time, then consider a solar attic fan! Your home will be cooler, your attic will be dryer and more comfortable and you won’t be using any electricity to make it happen!

Blair Stephens is a copywriter and renewable energy enthusiast.

Leading Reasons to Install a Home Exhaust Fan

The price of energy consumption is not getting any lower and homeowners are searching continuously for where to cut costs. A home exhaust fan provides an inexpensive, energy-saving solution. It is designed to force rising hot air out through the gable or Soffit vent as well as draw cool fresh air in through windows and other such as openings. These fans can lower the temperature in homes significantly at a small fraction of the energy consumption cost of an air conditioner.

A home exhaust ventilator usually provides easy installation on the ceiling, roof, wall or inline. Some examples for commercial use are bathroom ventilation fans, kitchen range hoods, window cooling fans and misting fans. Cabinet fans for ducted systems distribute air in several locations all at once and are favored for industrial use. Energy-saving solar powered attic and portable fans are, likewise, popular.

Energy Star qualified residential exhaust fans are not uncommon in established brands like Broan, Dayton and Air King. A great energy-saving feature is increased high CFM-to-watt efficiency. These fans also consume energy efficiently when no unnecessary heat is produced, such as by cool running motors and light bulbs, or no undue coldness enters through the fan, such as by having a built-in damper for resistance against the back draft.

The Penn Zephyr S series of centrifugal fans, the Fantech DBF110 Dryer Booster inline fan, and the Panasonic FV 05VQ3 WhisperCeiling mounted fan are examples of a home exhaust fan that has been configured to operate soundlessly. Belt-driven fans with blades spinning at lower speeds keep the noise at bay.

Rudolph Clausell reviews many things about Home Exhaust Fan. Please visit his Window Exhaust Fan site for more information.

Why Is The Gable Exhaust Fan So Popular?

To improve ventilation in the attic, which consists of hot air being forced outside through the exhaust system and moisture being prevented from building up during cold weather, you have two primary options – an attic vent fan or a gable exhaust fan. While the concept is the same for both, the installation process and operation are unique.

For one thing, instead of being mounted on the roof as with the turbine type of fan or box unit, the gable style is actually mounted on the gable. Of all ventilation systems used for the attic, the gable fan is considered by industry professionals, as well as consumers as being the easiest to install. For this reason, homeowners who want a cost efficient solution and a type of vent fan they can install will go with the gable.

Once this type of fan has been installed, it works as a highly efficient ventilation system. The way in which the fan functions is that extremely hot air collected near the ceiling is forced out by the exhaust system to the outside. The louvers through which this air goes may or may not be covered with mesh but when purchasing the equipment for a fan used to vent the attic, one covered with mesh is highly recommended in that it prevents animals and debris from getting inside.

Along with forcing hot air from the attic out, a ventilation fan also helps by replacing the hot air with cool air that comes from the outside in. The reason it is so critical that the right type of fan be used for ventilation in the attic, along with quality insulation is that if the hot air were allowed to remain inside, it would cause moisture to build up. With that, your home would be at serious risk for growth of mold and mildew, which are hazardous to a person’s health.

With this type of fan system, vent options include high and low. With the high vents, this refers to a section of the vent system that allows the hot air in the attic to be moved to the outside. For this, you would have a choice of ridge or gable vents. As far as low vents, this part of the system design is actually mandatory to bring cool air from the outside back into the attic.

Along with standard features of a gable exhaust fan, you would have several optional features to consider. For these, the most popular is the thermostat. Because a gable exhaust fan is powered by a motor, a thermostat can be highly beneficial whenever the level of heat in the attic reaches excessive levels.

Want to slash your energy bill with the installation of an gable exhaust fan?

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http://www.attic-ventfan.com/gable-exhaust-fan.php