Today’s Power Trip – How to Solve an Overheated Attic

Today’s Power Trip - How to Solve an Overheated Attic

by Don Ames

Today’s Power Trip is my way of sharing my day-to-day adventures in home energy savings, in-a-way, you could say I have an slight energy conservation addiction.

My e-Newsletter, the Energy Spy Insider, hits the emailing list about three times a week and brings you the latest news, tips, methods, and stories concerning the broad subject of energy conservation, energy politics, and renewable energy. If you found this “Power Trip” and have not signed-up for my eNewsletter, just look around, there is a sign-up form here somewhere, just add your email address and hit submit.

I really appreciate your comments and ideas, so be sure and leave me some of your wisdom at the end of every article. Follow me on twitter and facebook @detectenergy.

I would like to share with you the fact that Detect Energy will be up-grading the old website once again. Visitors will still be able to access all the great “energy saving” articles, but, in addition, there will be a wealth of “How To” checklists and ebooks to choose from. Perhaps you would be interested in being a contributing writer – just let me know.

Power Company Credit Cards? Help!!

Have you noticed that many credit cards now have the name Chase on them. Seems like a few big credit card companies are taking over the little ones and forming mega credit card companies. Something Wal-Mart would be proud of I’m sure.

The loss of credit card competition has me a little worried. Give all the business to a mega few and I’m afraid the interest rates will even go higher. Once the credit card company owns us, they are not too far away from owning most other things also. The end result is - we all end up working for the credit card company. This reminds me of picking cotton, staying in the company owned shacks and buying toothpaste at the company store. This could all be true except the picking cotton part, that is done by the company cotton picker, made by Chase and leased from Chase.

Here’s a thought, if your power provider offered you a Visa card, should you sign up? Think about this a minute, the company that provides the light to read by and the power to heat your home, also owns the company that offers you easy credit through a Visa card.

Might work out pretty good for the power company, if you get over your financial head with the credit card, old Visa just shuts off the power until you pay up. If my power company offers me a credit card, I think I’m going to respond by doing two things.

• Politely saying no-thank-you.
• Adding a few more panels to my trusty solar array.

With all the talk about smart meters and smart grids and the need to develop new and more sources of energy, is anybody worried about the Big Brother effect?

Asphalt Shingles Overheat Attic

Recently I had the roof shingles replaced  on a two story home that was built in 1990. The total cost of the new roof was about $6,500. Cedar shingles were removed, 1/2 plywood CDX was installed as sheathing and architectual asphalt shingles were placed over 15 lb roofing felt.

The roof is now a dark green color and looks great - doesn’t look like the same house. The old cedar shingle roof had leaked off and on over the last couple years and there is a few brown spots showing on the ceiling drywall in the kitchen.

The homeowners old complaint was that the roof was leaking.

• Guess what the homeowners complaint is now?

After a sunny day, the house, especially the upstairs bedrooms, are warmer and they do not cool off as quickly as they used to.

Why is the home warmer?

• The asphalt shingles get warmer and radiate more heat into the attic.

Why doesn’t the home cool off as quickly?

• Attic ventilation was lost when the cedar shingles were removed and solid sheeting was applied.

What’s the answer, what could have been done differently to help with the hot attic?

• Additional roof vents could be cut-in and added at the roof peak and eves.
• Insulation could be added to the attic floor.

Also: and the solution that I like, to maintain a little energy efficiency, is

•  the addition of a solar attic exhaust fan.

A solar attic fan could be installed near the peak of the roof. The fan would run entirely on solar power and exhaust hot air out of the attic any time the sun was out to power the fan. The solar fan removes hot air in the sunny summer months and then, the dark asphalt shingles are allowed to warm the attic on cool days in the winter.

Plan ahead, if you’re replacing a cedar shingle roof and installing asphalt shingles, expect your attic temperatures to be warmer under the sun.

“Guess What’s in the Picture.”  I bet it has something to do with energy efficiency and conserving power.

Thanks for stopping by Detect Energy, hope you come back soon, but I won’t leave the light on for you…