They ve been well discussed here and other places but briefly they re not cost effective don t deal with the problem where it starts are using convection to solve a radiant heat problem and can even be dangerous by backdrafting combustion appliances and.
Cooling a finished attic.
Learn how to cool your hot attic.
If you ve got headroom a fan will make a finished attic more comfortable in warmer months by giving you a cool breeze indoors.
Fans work by pulling the hot air out of your home and transferring it to the outside but you need to make sure the attic is airtight to prevent cooled air from also being pulled from the rest of your home.
Before you start the job however consider these five hvac tips to help you effectively turn your attic into a spare bedroom.
There are two types of attic fans.
It s important to remember that there are lots of different types of attic ventilation.
Department of energy recommends that you allow the material to droop between the attachment points to make at least a 1 0 inch 2 5 cm.
Attic fans are a great place to start to cool your attic.
Attic bedrooms create a private peaceful space for your guests.
With square foot living space at a premium many homeowners turn to their attics for a little extra room when the attic becomes part of the home to be heated and cooled.
Attics make excellent spare bedrooms especially if you d like to use one of your bedrooms downstairs for another purpose such as a library or home office.
Powered attic ventilators are the worst way to try to keep your attic cool.
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.
Alternatively install passive vents such as gable soffit and ridge vents which are openings in the roof that allow hot air to escape.
For the budget conscious homeowner the cheapest method for cooling and heating the renovated attic is to plug in a portable system to be used for that room only.
When installing a foil type barrier the u s.
Adding a radiant barrier prevents the sun from beating down onto your attic and heating it up which means this option can help keep your attic cool in the summer.
We recently got a call from a local homeowner saying that the attic in which their kids liked to sleep in occasionally wa.
This option is ideal if the finished attic is small and will not be used as a permanent living space.
It works together with the attic insulation which will ensure hot air does not enter the attic from outside.
Put in a ceiling fan for better climate control photo by william enos.
What about finished attics.