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If you install an attic fan, make sure you have plenty of open and clear soffit vents to allow air to come into your attic. Otherwise, the fan will just suck the air out of your home through can lights, etc. And, the motor will burn out very quickly.

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Speaking from experience (i'm a licensed a/c guy), attic fan motors burn up quickly regardless. They can't take the heat.

Also, it was always somewhat more comfortable working in an attic with a radiant barrier. They DO work.

My favorite trick is to put a sprinkler on top of the roofs of houses that have real barn-burner attics. It knocks the heat down in a jiffy. You can thank me later when you have to work in your attic for extended periods of time.

[This message has been edited by moses1084ever (edited 7/13/2008 6:52p).]

Is there anyone in Amarillo installing these products???

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Baffled Insulation? If he put a baffle down, there was airflow and he did it right.....

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sorry, i meant batt. it was completely stuffed full of the batt insulation. when i pulled it out, you could immediately feel the cool air coming up through the soffit.

www.savewithtechshield.com

http://www.lpcorp.com/techshieldfoil/

sorry for the lack of tech skills.

LP TechShield actually lowers your attic 40 degrees and saves you 30% roughly on your bills. You get a nice warranty with it as well. It's the Kleenex of Radiant Barrier.

Foam Spray qualifies as a RB. Paint does not. It only blocks 60% or Radiant Heat as oppose to 97%. as mentioned you have to block at least 90% to qualify as a Radiant Barrier.

TechShield Roof Decking is New Construction. TechShield Foil is existing homes.

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My favorite trick is to put a sprinkler on top of the roofs of houses that have real barn-burner attics. It knocks the heat down in a jiffy. You can thank me later when you have to work in your attic for extended periods of time.

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The dance hall in Quihi, Texas has (or had) a sprinkler system on top of the roof. Never saw it used though.

So, what is happening in the newly "tin-foiled" house?
Noticeably cooler? A/C running less?
Does it feel like a good investment--I know too soon to have received an electric bill.

Doc for your climate I don't think it is as beneficial as down in dallas or houston. i would just blow in more insulation if you haven't done that in a while.

Pretty sure in Doc's climate it'd be just as beneficial considering we see just as much radiant heat as Houston does. Our attics are a tad bit more humid, but still, radiant barrier would assist on heating loads. I shot my attic door with an IR temp gun yesterday evening and it was at 90 degrees while the rest of my ceilings were at about 83-84. I'm guessing the attic was well into the 120-130 degree range.

Oh, and Doc, the Hotel Galvez used a radiant barrier spray (not one of the brands I've recomended) but I'd be interested to know if they were happy with the results.

http://radiosity.biz/Attic.html

strange that AggieDruggist89 completely disappeared from this thread after installation.

Not too odd, the guy has only posted 3 times in the past 10 days.

I have been working very slowly on my install of the foil. Just spending a couple hours on it each weekend. I have about 40% of the attic done. I started on the west corner of the house, which gets roasted by the setting sun.

Before I put up any foil, I took IR temp readings of the a/c air coming out of the vents on the east corner of the house vs. the west corner. There was a 10*+ difference in the afternoons.

With 40% of the foil done, covering the long duct run to the west corner of the house, there is now only a 7* difference. The west corner of the house is cooling MUCH better. I expect more improvement once i get the foil over the rest of the ducting and air handler.

[This message has been edited by ryn (edited 7/18/2008 9:52a).]

McInnis, The number of cooling hours that Doc has in spearman are way less than dallas, houston, or galveston has. For instance, it may get to 100 up there, but it cools down much faster at night and nighttime lows will be in the 60's vs. the 80's.

A Radiant barrier would reduce his attic temp and heat load, but it isn't as beneficial since his cooling hours are so much less than ours.

Plus a radiant barrier would hurt the heating in the winter. In the morning his house will warm up slower due to the radiant barrier.

ryn, you need to get your ducts checked for leaks. A 7 deg rise in your duct is to high for attic temps alone. Your duct could also be undersized.

[This message has been edited by chocolatelabs (edited 7/18/2008 4:28p).]

My bad! I thought IslandAg still lived on the Island.

By the way, Efficient Attic Systems is giving half off radiant sprays this month.

http://efficientattic.com/specials-rebates/specials/

New radiant barrier (spray application) and attic fan are working wonders in my house. It is cooler during the day and my air conditioner is not kicking on nearly as often...

You have any before readings (temperature) and after readings of the attic? I wonder how much of a difference each feature made....who did your work?

btw someone said a radiant barrier will hurt you in winter. not true. if you install it directly on top of the insulation it will actually help by pushing the heat back down into the home. If you install along the roof then yes it will hurt heating in the winter cause you do not get any of that greenhouse help in the winter, but it is negligible in cold climates.

"btw someone said a radiant barrier will hurt you in winter. not true. if you install it directly on top of the insulation it will actually help by pushing the heat back down into the home. If you install along the roof then yes it will hurt heating in the winter cause you do not get any of that greenhouse help in the winter, but it is negligible in cold climates."

it's a radiant barrier. unless you're heating your home in the winter time with RADIANT energy, i am not understanding how it hurts your heating in the winter.

please explain.

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I thought IslandAg still lived on the
Island.

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I do--
I think the confusion was with Doctor51 in Amarillo where it is dry and cool at night.

<------idiot!

I wonder if we teamed up with some people IslandAg, maybe we could get a "group rate"

Who all has used Kool Attics? I appreciate you doing so. Are you happy?

"Group Rate" sounds like an idea--I am really considering getting this done or doing it myself.

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strange that AggieDruggist89 completely disappeared from this thread after installation.

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What's so strange about it....I'm enjoying my cool house. I was in my attic to get the thermometer today at 11:30... it was cool 99 degrees. I might post a picture of before and after if you say you're sorry.

BTW..I was in ****ing New Jersey last week.

You were so gun ho about the install leading up to it, then WHAM. once complete, you forgot about us.

Before and After!

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You were so gun ho about the install leading up to it, then WHAM. once complete, you forgot about us.

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Typical male behavior about sex....

Thanks for the update.

Druggist, do you have ridge vents?

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Who all has used Kool Attics? I appreciate you doing so. Are you happy?

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I had Mike come out a few weeks ago for solar screens. Extremely nice guy. I'll see how well they do next month when the electric bill comes in but so far I am very pleased with them (AC units don't seem to work as hard). He told me he only does the spray for the attic and I'm leaning to foil. But that's a project for next year anyway.

But I have nothing but good things to say about Kool-Attics.

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I had Mike come out a few weeks ago for solar screens. Extremely nice guy. I'll see how well they do next month when the electric bill comes in but so far I am very pleased with them (AC units don't seem to work as hard).

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We don't have screens at all on our windows so I'm experimenting today with the 4 large windows that face west in our home.

I put a temporary screen outside the window and have an IR temperature gun inside to check the temp where there is screen vs. where there is no screen. Where the sun is let in on through just window, the floor is at 105 degrees, where the screen is it's 90. Pretty definite evidence already.

[This message has been edited by McInnis 03 (edited 7/19/2008 3:31p).]

No ridge vent. But my neighbor does..

How does the super heated air escape the attic then?

I have vents that aren't covered... I thought you meant ridge vent that went all the way across the roofline...