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Old 06-02-09, 11:20 AM   #1
Doofus McFancypants
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Default Recent House mods

2 months ago - we had plantation shutters installed in our Great Room ( 2 story - southern exposure - 4 full sized windows)

within a week - we could feal the house was cooler then before.
I need to pull out some old bills to see if i can quantify the savings.


In the next few weeks - we are getting a new roof. 2 features i insisted upon were....
- replacing the roof vents with Ridge Vent for better airflow in attic
- Lightest colored shingles we could get ( the LIGHTEST ones would have been an extra 1K to have shipped in - so we went with 2nd lightest color)

I expect these to also greatly impact the cooling load of the house.

Thanks to the forum for helping me THINK differently and how to make SMARTER decisions.

Steve

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Old 06-03-09, 06:27 AM   #2
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Woohoo, I really wonder how much the lighter shingles help. Do you think you could put a thermometer in the attic and monitor before and after for us? That would be awesome!

I also agree, ridge venting is the only way to go.
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Old 07-02-09, 10:36 AM   #3
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I am worried that our roof will need to be replaced soon (original roof from the late 60's that had some leaking in the 90's that was fixed). It is asphalt shingles.

I have heard (not researched, just kind of like rumors) that the new white metal roofs are better for efficiency.

Questions I have are from the simple to the complex.

Is the white metal roof more efficient in both winter and summer?
Compared to just dark colored shingles?

What about noise during heavy rain storms?

Any pointers, personal experience, or links would be appreciated.

Thanks,
LDJ
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Old 07-02-09, 06:04 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ldjessee View Post
I have heard (not researched, just kind of like rumors) that the new white metal roofs are better for efficiency.
Yes, it's true, light-colored metal "pro-panel" roofs can be MUCH more efficient at reflecting heat than a asphalt shingle roof. The important number to look for is SRI (Solar Reflectance Index) and the higher the number the better.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ldjessee View Post
Is the white metal roof more efficient in both winter and summer? Compared to just dark colored shingles?
Attics should be well insulated to minimize heat loss and/or gain in the home. Given that heat rises, heating your house via a dark roof surface would be very inefficient and very difficult to control at best. A hot attic will heat a home in the summer, accelerate the aging of the roof deck and can cause ice damming and water damage in the winter.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ldjessee View Post
What about noise during heavy rain storms?
There has been no noticeable difference in noise in our home.

Here is some of the research I did on the advantages of a cool roof - Cool Roof: Pro-Panel vs. Asphalt Shingle | EcoNewMexico.com
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Old 07-02-09, 10:33 PM   #5
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Thanks for your comments. I looked at your website, thanks!
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Old 07-08-09, 11:49 AM   #6
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I wish i had gotten Pre Roof Data to quantify the temo differance. Missed opprotunity for data sucks..

Last week Atlanta had temps in the 90's.
Last year the house temp would increase ( to mid 80's ) as the AC strained to keep up. on over 90 days

This past week - No problem at all. Temp stayed near 78

the "Butt Test" if you will shows this CLEARLY is making an impact.

I will see if i can get some TEMPS in the attic over the next few weeks to see where it is...

Thanks All

steve
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Old 07-08-09, 02:44 PM   #7
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The Florida Solar Energy Center has a lot of interesting information. I saw that there was a link to it from the cool roof article. I also found this link to more research that they did where they built identical homes and tested the heat load.

http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/publicati...CR-1220-00.pdf

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