Air flow, summer heat, fan question

[Tap]

We have A/C but have an odd room arrangement that causes my sons room to stay too warm in the summer.

 

The room is 16x20 and only has 1 ceiling air vent.  The room is supposed to be another living room, but we use it for a bedroom instead.  This room is in the worst place possible for heat.  It is a corner room, on the 2nd floor, Western facing, with a large window (Living room size), and one wall adjoins the attic (no A/C in there).  So, 2 of his bedroom walls get full sun every afternoon, and the third wall is very hot attic.

 

 

The room is separated in to two areas, by a 'wall' of bookcases down the middle, with a gap in the bookcases at one end about the size of a door.  Two-thirds of the room is my sons bedroom, the other third is a mock hall way of sorts and our laundry closet (doors are removed). 

 

 

We use fans to help move the cooled air around the bookcases and into his room in the summer, but what I am wondering is this.....Is it better to try to blow the warm air out....  Or is is better to blow cooler air into a warm room?   The air doesn't have a direct path, but instead has to travel a path the shape of a letter 'C" around the bookcases.  I can't have one going one way, and the other going the opposite to create a good draft.  Is is one or the other..

 

BTW, the ac is already set to max upstairs, vs low air flow downstairs. it was 100* here today.  I think his issue, is that it only has 1 vent and the flow is blocked. I can't just turn the temp down lower, because everyone else will freeze.  I have the thermostat at 70* right now.  I am downstairs, in sweat pants and wrapped in a jacket and blanket.  Everyone else upstairs still have winter blankets on their beds and are all tucked under the blankets.  His room is still over 76*.   Another vent can not be installed with out significant expense, so that is not an option. 

 

ETA: we have an attic fan in the attic.

Any ideas.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Tap

[Prairie~Phlox]

Do you have an attic fan? I would consider installing one if not. Do you darken the room to allow no sun?

[Sherry in OH]

Have you considered installing a window air conditioner in the room?  It would be less expensive and more comfortable than super-cooling the rest of the house.

 

Which is more important to your son, being cooler or having privacy?  Placing the bookcases along the outside wall would offer extra insulation and improve airflow in the room.  Thermal curtains would also help.  Even with these changes, the room is going to be warmer than the rest of the house.  I would set the thermometer to a comfortable temperature for the rest of the house, and have son sleep in another room for the summer months.  

[Eliz]

I second a window or maybe a portable air conditioner.  When we lived in a house, we had window units.  At first I disliked not having central A/C, but it's wonderful to control the temperature in each room separately.  We were more comfortable and my electric bill was reasonable.  We're in apartment now that doesn't allow window units.  Occasionally, I think of buying a portable unit for my bedroom but I don't know if portable units work as well.  My bedroom gets hot, so I can identify with your problem.

[SparklyUnicorn]

You could test it out. 

 

We have a fan blowing the air from the AC because the AC alone just does not cut it.  This is our bedroom in the attic. 

 

 

[Angie in VA]

Is the "attic wall" well insulated? I would make sure it is, then I'd do what PPs said about a window unit and light blocking curtains when the sun comes through that large window. 

 

 

[gardenmom5]

I second the attic fan and window unit.  I would aim to suck hot air out.

look into window tints that can help reduce uv heat gain, or exterior cooler-roo type shades.

 

I also have full west living room with a/c and excellent circulation.  however -  before we got our current windows (designed for desert southwest - I'm in the pnw. those windows made a huge difference. ) - even with a/c, the room would be unbearable in the afternoon even *with* exterior shades - which block the heat gain better than interior shades.  I still use the exterior shades after the sun hits, mostly for the glare. (dh refuses to allow tints - he thinks it will distort his view.)

[Happy]

Call an AC company and have them rework the duct system, too. Getting more air in there will help tremendously.

 

[Sun]

Ditto on the window AC. If your window won't accommodate a window unit, you can get units that can be installed in a wall. That requires having a hole cut, but since this will be a chronic summer problem, it might be worth solving with a permanent air conditioner installation.

 

--Sun with the attic bedroom who had to get AC just for the bedroom

[MIch elle]

In morning/night put a box fan in the window blowing air IN.  Close the windows and shades during the hottest times of the day and then open the windows and box fan again at night.  Closing the door while the box fan is in the window helps to cool it down faster.  But we rarely get 100 degree weather and when it's really hot we have central AC and then use that box fan on a chair to blow on us while we sleep.

Edited June 6, 2016 by MIch elle

[JFSinIL]

I am in the same bedroom on our house. So far, I close the window as soon as the sun is about to hit it, also the window has that reflective film on it to help cut the heat. I close the dark drapes. I leave the door open (with a child's safety gate to keep the old cats out of the room). If I were you, with the larger room, I'd see if a a small a/c unit could be used for that one room. Otherwise, is there anyplace else he can sleep on the hottest days of summer?

[Tap]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions:

 

I will have to think about buying a portable unit.  I won't put in a window unit due to the way the windows work.  But one of the portable ones may work for this and then it can be moved out of his room when not in use.  That may be a good way to go.

 

The idea of window tint may help.  I will look into that idea.  

 

The washer/drier are well vented,  They are only 2 years old and work well so there isn't' a lot of heat that escapes them, but on days like yesterday, when we run them all day, it does contribute to the problem. When I run a load during the hottest time of day, I will also run the exhaust fan, which is immediately above the drier (stacked set), to help release some of the warmest air.

 

We have an attic fan, but after several days of hot, hot weather, it mainly just moves hot air around and no much more until it cools off at night.

 

His privacy is huge, since he is 21 and still lives at home.  The washer and drier are already in his room, so we are in/out all the time.  I sleep on one couch downstairs and dd9 sleep walks to the other living room almost every night and sleeps in there, so there isn't really another place for him to sleep in our house.

 

Having A/C ducting added would cost us too much money right now.  We looked into it at one point in time, and it would have been a couple of thousand due to the way the ceiling is made (it is why there is only one vent in there in the first place).  It is also at the end of the ducting line, so they said we wouldn't get much extra benefit out of it. 

 

Our house has excellent insulation, so the exterior and attic walls are well insulated.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Tap

[JFSinIL]

I second a window or maybe a portable air conditioner.  When we lived in a house, we had window units.  At first I disliked not having central A/C, but it's wonderful to control the temperature in each room separately.  We were more comfortable and my electric bill was reasonable.  We're in apartment now that doesn't allow window units.  Occasionally, I think of buying a portable unit for my bedroom but I don't know if portable units work as well.  My bedroom gets hot, so I can identify with your problem.

I think I read Consumer Reports the freestanding portable a/c units are not as good as a window or wall mounted unit. :-(

[Happy]

I think I read Consumer Reports the freestanding portable a/c units are not as good as a window or wall mounted unit. :-(

I agree. We have one for our bonus room over the garage. It cools, but not well.

[KungFuPanda]

Our AC vents are on the floor. We found that placing a small fan that tilts right near the floor vent made a huge difference in comfort. I would consider using heavy curtains on the window during the day. I'd also put a smaller AC, or portable unit in his window if possible.

Edited June 6, 2016 by KungFuPanda

[knoxinsox]

We lived in a rental single wide trailer for a couple of years, and my son had the front bedroom with a huge window and we had window ACs in the main part.  It was ridiculously hot in there.   I didn't want to do something expensive, or that would ruin the paint, but I was camping and found Space Blankets that kept out the cold air from the air mattresses.  Did a smidge of research and I ended up putting them in all the big windows--it repelled the warmth from the sun.  Granted, it was like living in a cave, but it was a 30 degree cooler cave and the AC did not have to work nearly so hard. I put the Space blanket next to the window, then pulled down the mini blinds, and pulled the curtains in front of it. A fan in the hallway pushed the cooler air down there and it was comfortable enough to sleep. We still use them for camping, they are very durable.  Amazon link below:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Space-All-Weather-Blanket-Red/dp/B0045E4SVO?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

[SparklyUnicorn]

Just curious about the type of window you have.  We have a weird window too and we did manage to find a unit that works with it.

 

We have insulation and have tried various things, but the house is old for one thing and yeah anything more would just cost too much.  Nobody could sleep up there without an air conditioner. 

 

 

Thanks everyone for your suggestions:

 

I will have to think about buying a portable unit.  I won't put in a window unit due to the way the windows work.  But one of the portable ones may work for this and then it can be moved out of his room when not in use.  That may be a good way to go.

 

The idea of window tint may help.  I will look into that idea.  

 

The washer/drier are well vented,  They are only 2 years old and work well so there isn't' a lot of heat that escapes them, but on days like yesterday, when we run them all day, it does contribute to the problem. When I run a load during the hottest time of day, I will also run the exhaust fan, which is immediately above the drier (stacked set), to help release some of the warmest air.

 

We have an attic fan, but after several days of hot, hot weather, it mainly just moves hot air around and no much more until it cools off at night.

 

His privacy is huge, since he is 21 and still lives at home.  The washer and drier are already in his room, so we are in/out all the time.  I sleep on one couch downstairs and dd9 sleep walks to the other living room almost every night and sleeps in there, so there isn't really another place for him to sleep in our house.

 

Having A/C ducting added would cost us too much money right now.  We looked into it at one point in time, and it would have been a couple of thousand due to the way the ceiling is made (it is why there is only one vent in there in the first place).  It is also at the end of the ducting line, so they said we wouldn't get much extra benefit out of it. 

 

Our house has excellent insulation, so the exterior and attic walls are well insulated.

 

[happi duck]

Is there already a ceiling fan? If not, I think they help a lot for sleeping.

 

Can the bookcases be rearranged, at least for the summer? If I makes for less privacy maybe the laundry could be done during set hours?

[TammyS]

Hi room is 76?  What's the problem?  I wouldn't go to any trouble to make it cooler.  76 is fine.  If he wants more comfort he can buy a fan.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Is there already a ceiling fan? If not, I think they help a lot for sleeping.

 

Can the bookcases be rearranged, at least for the summer? If I makes for less privacy maybe the laundry could be done during set hours?

 

Yeah we installed 2 ceiling fans and that really helped as well.

[justasque]

 

Our house has excellent insulation, so the exterior and attic walls are well insulated.

 

Just to clarify - make sure the wall between the room and your attic is insulated, not just the attic floor and exterior attic walls.

 

Also - where is the return vent?  Air needs to circulate, roughly from the vent where the A/C blows in to the return vent.  If that vent is blocked, or the route is too circuitous, that will be a problem.  

 

Does he have a ceiling fan, to keep the air moving? They can make quite a difference even with A/C.

 

Could you change the book cases to half-height ones, with some kind of decorative screening above, to allow air flow but still delineate his space?

 

Seconding insulating curtains, window A/C unit, running the laundry only during cooler times of the day, etc.

 

I really think the window A/C is the best solution - cheapest and most effective to bring the cool air exactly where it is needed.

[fairfarmhand]

Hi room is 76?  What's the problem?  I wouldn't go to any trouble to make it cooler.  76 is fine.  If he wants more comfort he can buy a fan.

 

When you pair 76 with high humidity, it is MISERABLE.

 

I live in the South. 

 

I've read the energy efficiency blogs that say set your thermostat to 78 to save money and think...HOW? Because 76 and high humidity is awful.

 

OP, have you looked into a dehumidifier? Think that would help?

[ktgrok]

When you pair 76 with high humidity, it is MISERABLE.

 

I live in the South. 

 

I've read the energy efficiency blogs that say set your thermostat to 78 to save money and think...HOW? Because 76 and high humidity is awful.

 

OP, have you looked into a dehumidifier? Think that would help?

 

LOL, I live in Florida and NEVER set the thermostat below 76. Usually it is at 77, sometimes 78 if I'm I'm not moving around much. 

 

My suggestion is to close some of the other vents if possible, so more air goes to his area. Put in a ceiling fan. And honestly? Get rid of the bookshelves and put a lock on his door. People have to knock before coming in to do laundry, or only do it during set hours. 

 

Also, aluminum foil taped to the inside of the window will help reflect heat outward. My son does that in his room. 

[QueenCat]

When you pair 76 with high humidity, it is MISERABLE.

 

I live in the South. 

 

I've read the energy efficiency blogs that say set your thermostat to 78 to save money and think...HOW? Because 76 and high humidity is awful.

 

OP, have you looked into a dehumidifier? Think that would help?

 

I had mine set on 78 in the summer there........... upstairs would get warmer but we ran ceiling fans. It was okay most of the time, and was always fine downstairs. I think everyone has a different comfort level though... It gets more humid where we moved to, and I think I'm going to have more issues being comfortable upstairs come August. Might have to lower the temp then though. It does get hotter in the kitchen when cooking so I do turn it down a couple of degrees during that time period.

[stephanier.1765]

Does he have a desk top computer in his room? My son does and its a huge contributor to the heat level in there because he leaves it running 24/7. One night he turned it off and was surprised to find how cool it was. 

[Tap]

LOL, I live in Florida and NEVER set the thermostat below 76. Usually it is at 77, sometimes 78 if I'm I'm not moving around much. 

 

My suggestion is to close some of the other vents if possible, so more air goes to his area. Put in a ceiling fan. And honestly? Get rid of the bookshelves and put a lock on his door. People have to knock before coming in to do laundry, or only do it during set hours. 

 

Also, aluminum foil taped to the inside of the window will help reflect heat outward. My son does that in his room. 

LOL Of course, as posts always are, it is more complicated than it seems., The room is 16x20 and 36feet of those walls were lined with Billy bookcases with glass doors from Ikea when his room was our school room.  We have 15 fulls size Bookcases and some half-wides, and some half-talls. that I want to keep for that room and eventually reline the walls with. (We double some Billys to make them twice as deep).  The book cases are full, and I have already gotten rid of 36 boxes of books but what I have left, I plan to keep. 

 

Having a 21 and 17yo, I figure one of them will move out in the next couple of years. LOL And I can have my library back.

 

The wall of bookcases that separates his room, is made of Billys, back to back.  He gets to use his side (it is full) and I get my side which is also full,  plus there are bookcases on 2 other sections of the walls.  We go in the 'common area' multiple times per day, because that is where all of the games/puzzles/art supplies/project items/science etc are kept.  It was part of the deal with getting the larger room, and he is fine with it, 

 

I just need to figure out what I can do for air flow.

[Tap]

Hi room is 76?  What's the problem?  I wouldn't go to any trouble to make it cooler.  76 is fine.  If he wants more comfort he can buy a fan.

He is sensitive to heat.  He loves the rain and cool weather.  He plans to never leave the PNW due to it. LOL  He has a health issue that gets worse when his body gets stressed, so I think that is why he likes the cooler weather. His body feels sick to him, when he gets over heated.

 

There are two fans that move the air around in his room.  Really, I was just wondering if there was a common logic to blowing them into the cooler areas, or out in the warmer areas. 

[JanetC]

One of the best insulators for really hot days are those shiny emergency blankets they sell for 2 or 3 bucks each (check the camping section at Target, walmart, sporting goods store, etc.). They reflect back a lot of the sun's heat and are very light and easy to tape over your windows. Not pretty, but a great solution for those western windows when there's a heat wave!

[TammyS]

When you pair 76 with high humidity, it is MISERABLE.

 

I live in the South. 

 

I've read the energy efficiency blogs that say set your thermostat to 78 to save money and think...HOW? Because 76 and high humidity is awful.

 

OP, have you looked into a dehumidifier? Think that would help?

 

I live in the mid Atlantic, near the Chesapeake bay.  I deal with humidity all the time.  No, it's not awesome, but it's totally tolerable.

 

I wouldn't use a dehumidifier, because that will pump more heat into the room.

[TammyS]

He is sensitive to heat.  He loves the rain and cool weather.  He plans to never leave the PNW due to it. LOL  He has a health issue that gets worse when his body gets stressed, so I think that is why he likes the cooler weather. His body feels sick to him, when he gets over heated.

 

There are two fans that move the air around in his room.  Really, I was just wondering if there was a common logic to blowing them into the cooler areas, or out in the warmer areas. 

 

Blow the colder air into the warmer air.  That will help the quickest.  Shut off some vents to the rest of the house to push more air his way.

 

Also, check your air handler.  When we bought our house a lot of the house was hot and the laundry room, of all things, was freezing.  We found that the switches that direct AC on the air handler were shut off to a lot of the house, but open full for the laundry room.

[Annie G]

So there's a vent in his room but it's on the other side of where he sleeps, right?   This wouldn't be a beautiful solution, but maybe you could buy a piece of flexible hosing intended as a vent and take the vent cover off and put this up into the ductwork and thus extend the flow so it goes into the bedroom side instead of the utility room side.  Sure, the other side of the room would be hot but that's probably not a big deal. 

 

If it doesn't work you could return the flexible ductwork.