REGION: Tips for a cool home

By DAVE DOWNEY - Staff Writer | Sunday, July 20, 2008 7:24 PM PDT ∞

It may be hot outside, but you don't have to be steaming inside.

And Art Rosenfeld, a California Energy Commission member and one of the nation's foremost experts on energy efficiency, suggests you don't have to spend a fortune on air conditioning to make it comfortable inside your home.

Rosenfeld said one of the best things one can do to reduce the load on your air conditioner is to put a lighter-colored, well-insulated, so-called "cool roof" over your head. If you need to replace an aging, leaky roof, put on one that is designed to reflect the sun's rays and avoid absorbing its heat.

It helps to reduce the amount of sunshine hitting your roof and outside walls by planting shade trees along the east and west sides of the home, he said. It also helps to install external shutters, shades or screens.

Inside, you'll want to shutter window blinds to prevent sunshine from coming in through the glass and hitting ---- and heating up ---- floors and furniture.

"You don't want to have a lot of incandescent lights on," Rosenfeld added. "That adds heat."

It not only pays to switch out energy-hogging incandescent bulbs for long-lasting compact fluorescent bulbs, the twisted new efficient lamps put off just one-fourth as much heat as the old bulbs, he said.

"You want to reduce all the heat generation in the house," he said.

In other words, avoid running heat-generating appliances, such as the dishwasher, during the hot time of the day.

It's also important to get rid of the hot air. A good way to do that is to install a fan in the attic, said Bill Patzert, climate scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena.

It's also a good idea to work with Mother Nature when she's more pleasant ---- after dark.

"If it gets cool at night, open up the windows and cool the house with the free outside air," Rosenfeld said.

Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (760) 745-6611, Ext. 2623, or ddowney@nctimes.com.

Cool roof coming to neighborhood near you

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Pre-Registration Comments[-]Go to Top

CO wrote on Jul 20, 2008 7:25 PM:This article is a joke, right? Who wrote this article, Captain Obvious?

hot hot hot wrote on Jul 20, 2008 9:38 PM:these ideas are fine for temps up to the low 90's but the inland temps are a lot hotter during a heat wave. We lived without AC for 18 years in VC. Misery!

ummm... wrote on Jul 20, 2008 10:35 PM:So I can save on AC, but I have to replace my roof? Cost effective!

Ummm... right wrote on Jul 20, 2008 10:36 PM:So I can save on AC, but I have to replace my roof?

Cost effective!

brilliant not wrote on Jul 21, 2008 8:27 AM:The author of the article did not take into consideration the HOA's in many communities. As soon as I can get the HOA board to come to an agreement on when to meet, I might be able to approach them with the idea of a new roof, that won't match my neighbors and planting trees in the common areas around my house.

Right, they will take it under advisement and get back in time for my grandchildren to replace the roof and trees.

Thanks, "Captain Obvious!"

He didnt mention wrote on Jul 21, 2008 9:38 AM:Plant trees that shade in the summer and drop their leaves in the winter. Also I put in a gable attic fan thermostat controlled to come on at 105 degrees. Made a big difference in the house. OK, now I want a job on the Energy Commission. Fluorescent lights? No way, not until they get the mercury out and make them easy to dispose of. I don't need to add to the stuff I can't throw in the trash and keeps piling up.

Jaded wrote on Jul 21, 2008 9:41 AM:The good Cmr should look at the CEC's white 'cool roof' as an example of failure. It leaks, and it gets very dirty, thus becoming a dark 'hot roof.' He has never lived in reality...he's always be a member of the priviledged class.

esteban wrote on Jul 21, 2008 10:57 AM:Opening the windows and doors at night is not safe. It is very inviting for cayotes, wolves and other wildlife to come into your home. A better solution is to move out of the desert and relocate to a coastal community.

Chris wrote on Jul 21, 2008 11:41 AM:Dr. Rosenfeld is right. I live in the central valley and have done most of the things suggested, except a cool roof. My house is very comfortable without AC up to highs over 100, as long as I keep my wife from cooking in the afternoon. Next time my roof will be one of the new cool colors they've developed.

Oh borther wrote on Jul 21, 2008 2:09 PM:Are almost all of you bloggers so negative about doing something good for everyone including Mother Earth? I have a white roof and it's awesom. I also got dual pane windows and they are fantastic- keep the heat out in summer and the warm air inside during the winter. Wise up folks. This is the future.

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