Q:Â Is there any way that I can lower the temperature inside my attic in the summer? Would installing a fan work?
A: Homeowners often contact us during the summer to complain about the hot air in their attics and ask how they can cool off the attic. That’s because they believe that cooling the attic can somehow cool their homes and result in smaller electric bills. But the basic truth is that the best thing you can do in the average attic space is to be sure that you have the recommended R-38 insulation installed, though more insulation won’t do a thing to greatly improve the temperature in your attic. You could put whirlybird type fans on the roof – fans that are powered by the wind. But they won’t make a dramatic change in your attic, either. The worst possible thing you can do is to install electrically powered fans. They would create a negative pressure situation in the attic that would start sucking the air out of the air-conditioned rooms in your home. As a result, your attic might be much cooler, but you would lose some of the air conditioning in the livable area of your house. The truth is that a hot attic contributes very little to the cost of your utility bill.
For more tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
