Attic Temp Vs Cooling Cost In Florida
Improving attic ventilation for cost savings.
Attic temp vs cooling cost in florida. The florida solar energy center fsec has done quite a bit of work in this area and even built a test building called the flexible roof facility to study different types of roof and attic assemblies. I suspect the thinking was the more the better. Install electric ventilators and attic fans which remove hot air from an attic. They have thermostats that turn the fan on at a recommended preset temperature of 100 110 degrees.
It can cost anywhere from 1 700 to 2 100 or between 1 50 and 3 50 per foot to insulate an attic depending on what insulation material you choose. But attic ventilation requires a balance. About 90 percent of homes in the us have unreasonably high levels of moisture. I come across many homes that originally had soffit venting and wind turbines at the peak but continuous ridge venting was added later during a re roof.
In essence all ventilation is about circulating air to keep it fresh and to reduce moisture levels. Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises primarily utilizing two types of vents. Here are some of the myths and the facts you need to know about attic ventilation. The typical method for ventilating the attic on an average home is soffit and ridge vent.
The question is what is the ideal temperature of an attic when outside temp is 75. There s been some good work done on how the type of roofing affects the attic temperatures and cooling loads in the house. Too many attic vents can cause temperature fluctuations in cold weather months and too little venting will not do enough to dissipate heat in the summer. Alternatively install passive vents such as gable soffit and ridge vents which are openings in the roof that allow hot air to escape.
If it s 90 degrees outside the attic temperatures shouldn t exceed 110 according to home inspector jamison brown of amerispec home inspection services in poquoson. Ultimately improving your attic s ventilation can have a net positive effect on your cooling bill. Blown in insulation is the least expensive option and ideal for older attics. Intake vents located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves allow cool.
Understanding whether your home could benefit from some form of attic ventilation might just be if not a life saver a roof saver. I ve read where this disrupts the natural flow up from the soffits due to old turbines and new ridge vent.