[airics]

my next investment will be an attic fan...

[luckpants]

I just put about r30 of spray cellulose insulation in 1800 sqft of attic for 650.It was the same stuff that was already up there, it is recycled newspaper and some other recycled material. I bought the insulation at Lows and they let you use the machine to spray it in for a day for free, its a messy job but worth it. My neighbor payed 2500 to have theirs done, it took me and a helper about 9 hours to spray in.

[luckpants]

Originally Posted by airics

my next investment will be an attic fan...

I put in 2 attic fans last year and have read a bunch about them since, and if you have enough insulation they really are not needed. Most houses built lately have r30 but they recommend r60 for this climate and most of the heat comes thru the ceiling into the house. With the sun on the roof it gets about 30+ deg. hotter in the attic than the exterior temperature. Attic fans might help some but they use electricity to run them, more insulation has a bigger affect and after installed uses no electricity.

[airics]

Originally Posted by luckpants

I put in 2 attic fans last year and have read a bunch about them since, and if you have enough insulation they really are not needed. Most houses built lately have r30 but they recommend r60 for this climate and most of the heat comes thru the ceiling into the house. With the sun on the roof it gets about 30+ deg. hotter in the attic than the exterior temperature. Attic fans might help some but they use electricity to run them, more insulation has a bigger affect and after installed uses no electricity.

fans i am looking at are solar

[luckpants]

I almost bought solar fans but I read a bunch of reviews and customers said they didn't move enough air. There were a few people who even took there solar fans out and installed electric to move more air, plus the solar ones only work when the sun is directly on the panel.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by luckpants

I almost bought solar fans but I read a bunch of reviews and customers said they didn't move enough air. There were a few people who even took there solar fans out and installed electric to move more air, plus the solar ones only work when the sun is directly on the panel.

Solar fans will move air if there's enough light to cast a shadow. Remember, the "sun-drenched" nation of Germany leads the world in solar power production.

That being said, a regular electric fan will move MORE air and therefore likely save more electricity. (Compressors always use more juice than fans. So get as much hot air out of the attic as you can. It's money well spent.)


EDIT -- Our house is R-60. And even then, we blew in another foot of insulation when there were tax credits available to do so. Installing a single attic gable fan dropped our power bill by about 15%. It cools down much quicker at night, which obviates the need for air-conditioning. The fan system paid for itself in three months. And it's on a thermostat switch, so it's only on when the attic air is 1) above 100f and 2) higher than the outside temperature. And the only way I can hear the thing is to climb up into the attic. It's more than whisper-quiet.

I cannot recommend a gable fan strongly enough. It's financially foolish in this town not to install one.

[airics]

Is there a brand or installation company you would recommend?

[Scott456]

Originally Posted by czman7

Consider a spray on foam roof.Mine saved 25% on electric.Of course not an option for tile roofs

But the newer houses all have tile roofs...very few houses are built with shigles these days.

[trekwars2000]

So I have a tint on all my west facing windows (I have no south facing). I'm curious if you guys think solar screens will help much more.

[bayview6]

First, to ventilate the attic one doesn't need an electric attic fan. What one needs is a hole in the roof since hot air will move quickly out of a hot attic. I don't see why one can put ventilation holes in a tile roof since the tiles are sitting on top of plywood.

Probably solar screens on tinted windows would not be worth the cost since solar screens cost so much.

In Vegas, a stapled radiant barrier might be worth checking out.