Attic Cooler Than House
The result is a cooler attic space with plenty of air exchange.
Attic cooler than house. In contrast whole house fansare most effective in the cooler temperatures of the evening and early morning. In many houses it is impractical to increase the insulation in the attic. The obvious benefit of increased ventilation in the warmer months is a lower attic temperature which can decrease cooling costs in the home. Attic fans perform this ventilation by pushing hot air out into the environment while also pulling fresh cool air into the attic.
The third graph shows attic temperatures from the middle of the attic for several different types of roofing as well as a sealed attic. But other factors impact this sort of thing too. The ideal temperature outside is at least 5 degrees fahrenheit below the desired indoor temperature. In this case the most reflective roofing material ivory ir selective metal tile is 23 4 f cooler than attic covered with dark shingles.
If you ve got an older home or poorly installed insulation there s a good chance upping your r value and air sealing in the attic will make your upstairs cooler and more comfortable in summer. In summer the ideal is to have lots of air movement so the attic is as cool as possible. Insulation can only slow and not stop the energy transfer. Maybe but not always.
So everything else being equal any house would benefit from a cooler attic. Which way does your house face.