I've been dealing with a frustrating situation ever since moving into my small 2-story Cape Cod house five years ago. The two upstairs bedrooms become unbearably hot, often reaching 80-90 degrees in the summer due to the afternoon sun hitting the west side. We don't have central air and are relying on window units, but even those struggle against the radiant heat. Our house lacks eave or soffit vents, with roof vents only on the east side. There are knee wall attic spaces, and I can sometimes feel that the walls are warm. I'm exploring possible solutions to improve the cooling situation and considering options like installing an attic fan, insulating the knee-wall, or adding rooftop vents. I'd love to hear any experiences or advice from others who have faced similar challenges!
3 Answers
Start by venting the attic space, air sealing, and insulating it properly. If you can, add a window unit in the upstairs as a backup if you're not ready to go for something more extensive.
A neat trick before making any big changes is to use a powerful box fan in the window of your upstairs bedroom, blowing outward. This way, it pulls cooler air from the lower floor and pushes the hot air out, working similarly to an attic fan!
Have you considered installing a heat pump? If there's attic space, you could potentially put cassettes in the ceiling, which might be more aesthetically pleasing than traditional units. Plus, many states offer decent rebates or tax incentives for this kind of upgrade!