Really Boring Stuff Only III: Resurrection

[fuzz092888]

At times you must feel like this

At times implies there are times when I don't feel like that

Just to be clear (and use the right jargon), this is a soffit vent to allow more air into an attic. I added 6 of those on my old house. Earlier, I called them eave vents.

And this is an exhaust vent. My old house already had two of these, and I mounted an attic fan behind one of these, and avoided having to instal an attic fan through the roof. You might not have that option with a townhouse.

Actually I think our townhouse has a vent like the one pictured. We probably could get a fan in there. I wonder if the landlord would go for that.

 

[adk highlander]

I still us Ultegra Mechanical, my wife has Dura Ace but she has a better spouse than I do....

I want to go electronic but I am a die-hard Shimano guy. I have X1 on my MTB and have went through 4 rear derailleurs. I have never had an issue with my XTR derails or our road groups. I see SRAM just released the Eagle line of 1x12...crazy....

Heck, I have been off the bike for over a month, I would be happy if I could just go ride 1 mile. This was suppose to be the year where I was great....

I was going to go with the Ultegra electronic but by the time I added up all the different wire harnesses, adapters and labor for the shop to run the wires through the frame it was a wash. This I can do myself without the frustration. It will be another week or so until the new cog set, chain and brakes come in. I forgot campy does not have a brake release on the caliper, it is on the lever, so new brakes are necessary as well.

 

[Swerd]

Actually I think our townhouse has a vent like the one pictured. We probably could get a fan in there. I wonder if the landlord would go for that.

Those vents are called gable vents. I bought a cheap 18" diameter gable vent attic fan at Home Depot. They all come with a simple thermostat control that does the job well. It took me most of a hot summer day to install it and get it wired. The slow part was teaching myself basic wiring while in a hot attic. I didn't have the luxury of an electrical outlet in the attic, I had to tie it into a junction box I found above the ceiling, under the insulation.

To get into my attic, I had to climb through a small hatch in the ceiling. My son, 3-years old at the time, completely lost it and screamed his head off when he saw me disappear through the ceiling.

See the cut-off switch in the photo? I got some good advice from a neighbor and ran a longer wire for my cut-off switch and mounted it on a wall in the upstairs hallway. That made it easy to cut it off without climbing into the attic. Important in case of a fire. It might be required by code now. I felt very clever when I did that.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

We have around 6 or so electric fans on our roof. A lot of my neighbors have replaced their roofs after the last hail storm and I texted a couple of them and told them that their roofing company forgot to put the fans back on. They told me that everyone uses peak vents or ridge vents now and that's what they have. It turns out I know nothing about attic cooling.

It did prevent me from telling them that the companies did a poor job on the peaks of their houses though which was going to be my next text.

 

[TheWarrior]

Recent studies have been showing that it is more efficient to have a 12" layer of loose fiberglass (depending on region) up there, than it is to use a fan.

Ridge vents, combined with soffit vents provide natural convection! No electricity required! (heat rises, why would you pay to 'cool' the attic above you?)

 

[herbu]

SRAM eTap wireless electronic shifing

Holy cow! Are you guys still talking about bicycles? Wireless electronic shifting?!?!

 

[GO-NAD!]

When you're taking 60 mg/day who cares whether its corticosteroids or anabolic steroids? It's all 'roid rage to me.

It could be worse – I'm lucky it isn't hemorrhoid rage .

AKA "Speed Bumps".

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Recent studies have been showing that it is more efficient to have a 12" layer of loose fiberglass (depending on region) up there, than it is to use a fan.

Ridge vents, combined with soffit vents provide natural convection! No electricity required! (heat rises, why would you pay to 'cool' the attic above you?)

I would assume, since my attic gets around 140 degrees in the summer and I have 12'' of insulation and a lot of ventilation, that it would get 200 degrees without ventilation.

 

[adk highlander]

Holy cow! Are you guys still talking about bicycles? Wireless electronic shifting?!?!

Yes sir. I was messing with some one at work and put the derailleur on his desk and went in the other room and started shifting so it "walked" across his desk. We will see if it is worth the money down the road but it is one cool piece of tech.

 

[TheWarrior]

I would assume, since my attic gets around 140 degrees in the summer and I have 12'' of insulation and a lot of ventilation, that it would get 200 degrees without ventilation.

Um, I am recommending ventilation in both the soffit and ridge vents. The use of both creates convection which will move the air on its own (heat rises), not needing a fan.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Um, I am recommending ventilation in both the soffit and ridge vents. The use of both creates convection which will move the air on its own (heat rises), not needing a fan.

Oh OK, that's what they are doing around here now. My soffit's are vented the entire length of them which they say is really more efficient than just having soffit vents every so many feet. I am about to call my insurance company to have them come and evaluate my roof.

 

[Swerd]

Recent studies have been showing that it is more efficient to have a 12" layer of loose fiberglass (depending on region) up there, than it is to use a fan.

Ridge vents, combined with soffit vents provide natural convection! No electricity required! (heat rises, why would you pay to 'cool' the attic above you?)

In theory you're right, but not all houses are new construction. The older house where I put in the attic fan was built in 1962, and had only gable vents, no soffit vents at all until I put some in, and certainly no ridge vent across the roof top.

The electricity drawn by a small motor for attic fans is on the low side, especially compared to an AC compressor. Apparently, there are now attic fans with solar panels – no wiring required. In my case, adding the attic fan made 2 hot bedrooms more comfortable in the summer.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I am about to call my insurance company to have them come and evaluate my roof.

So I called them and they are sending someone out. They said my deductible is $3,500, I don't want to spend that on a new roof, I like the one I have just fine.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Yes sir. I was messing with some one at work and put the derailleur on his desk and went in the other room and started shifting so it "walked" across his desk. We will see if it is worth the money down the road but it is one cool piece of tech.

I may go ahead and switch over just for kicks once I am riding again.

Sometimes I wish I didn't like electronics. To ride my bike I have to charge my computer, my tail light, my heart rate wrist strap and my headlight. Then I have to make sure the batteries are good in my powermeter and then I have to calibrate it. After my ride I have to download my and her computer and then look at the data in Training Peaks to make sure I hit my plan and then I have to look at data in Strava to make sure I am holding my own on segments. Don't get me started on what I have to do to ride my trainer, on Zwift....

 

[TheWarrior]

In theory you're right, but not all houses are new construction. The older house where I put in the attic fan was built in 1962, and had only gable vents, no soffit vents at all until I put some in, and certainly no ridge vent across the roof top.

The electricity drawn by a small motor for attic fans is on the low side, especially compared to an AC compressor. Apparently, there are now attic fans with solar panels – no wiring required. In my case, adding the attic fan made 2 hot bedrooms more comfortable in the summer.

Unfortunately this concept was not well known when it came time to last replace that roof, otherwise a ridge vent is an easy add! You still would want a good 10" of fluff up there though, to keep your cool bedroom air from escaping into the attic. With that, there should be no need for a fan.

Attics are hopefully going to become a thing of the past, they are a waste of materials. A low slope sealed roof system is by the far most efficient and cost effective 'top' you could have on your house. And is nothing more than wood i-beams to support the roof load, and a vapor barrier that even covers the roof overhang. Form really needs to start following function!

 

[TheWarrior]

So I called them and they are sending someone out. They said my deductible is $3,500, I don't want to spend that on a new roof, I like the one I have just fine.

I'm a 30 year old, first time home owner, so I have not had any claims on homeowners insurance...yet. I didn't realize it was that easy to get a new roof!

 

[herbu]

To ride my bike I have to charge my computer, tail light, heart rate wrist strap, headlight... batteries in my powermeter... download... look at the data in Training Peaks...look at data in Strava..

Wow. The carbon footprint of your bike may be more than my pickup truck. Like an electric car... powered by coal. So much for that "green" argument about riding a bike.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Wow. The carbon footprint of your bike may be more than my pickup truck. Like an electric car... powered by coal. So much for that "green" argument about riding a bike.

I am no tree hugger so I could care less about my carbon footprint. I just like riding bikes and I like data from it.

 

[lsiberian]

We have around 6 or so electric fans on our roof. A lot of my neighbors have replaced their roofs after the last hail storm and I texted a couple of them and told them that their roofing company forgot to put the fans back on. They told me that everyone uses peak vents or ridge vents now and that's what they have. It turns out I know nothing about attic cooling.

It did prevent me from telling them that the companies did a poor job on the peaks of their houses though which was going to be my next text.

Yeah it seems like all of our neighbors are getting roofs. I think you are better off waiting for the business to die down so you can a legit roofer.

 

[Swerd]

Yeah it seems like all of our neighbors are getting roofs. I think you are better off waiting for the business to die down so you can a legit roofer.

Hailstorm damage?

Get the insurance adjuster to inspect as soon as possible. Schedule the work later as you can.