Living in the hot and dry climate of Orange County, CA, I have a problem with a second floor loft with cathedral ceiling. The house is a mess in terms of energy efficiency, since almost all its windows and glass doors face West and there are no trees to provide shade. The worst part is that the room in question have no ventilation besides a regular window. The other dozen ft. above it is a trap for hot air. Sometimes the differencial in temperature from the inside and the outside/lower level is of almost 15 degrees. Being a tree hugger, what do you guys suggest for this problem using the least amount of energy but still solving the problem? Would solar powered operable skylights with integrated shades facing north work? Any suggestion for anything better and less expensive? Turtle vents? Whole house fans? Wind Turbine? Thanks for your time...
Despite the obvious problems with skylight, operable units do provide a means to dump the hot air outside. Like most energy saving methods, it just takes atention.
Posts: 153 | Location: Minnesota | Registered: 28 July 2007
Originally posted by JPCCUSA: Living in the hot and dry climate of Orange County, CA, I have a problem with a second floor loft with cathedral ceiling. The house is a mess in terms of energy efficiency, since almost all its windows and glass doors face West and there are no trees to provide shade. The worst part is that the room in question have no ventilation besides a regular window. The other dozen ft. above it is a trap for hot air. Sometimes the differencial in temperature from the inside and the outside/lower level is of almost 15 degrees. Being a tree hugger, what do you guys suggest for this problem using the least amount of energy but still solving the problem? Would solar powered operable skylights with integrated shades facing north work? Any suggestion for anything better and less expensive? Turtle vents? Whole house fans? Wind Turbine? Thanks for your time...
The skylights have nothing to do with this problem.
You need to VENTILATE the area above the cathedral ceiling providing at least 1 sq in of continuous rafterventilation for each rafter space continuously from any eave to a ridge vent and for every 150 sf of attic floor space, must provide at least 1 sq foot of venmtilation.
Sounds as if your attic and cathedral ceiling do not meet normal 'minimums' for proper ventilation.
Thanks for your reply homebild, but living in a condominium and unable to restructure what has been built in the 80's, what can I do to solve the problem now?
