Need attic fan - have no attic

I have a 100 year old cape anne with window units for a/c. All of my ceilings on the second floor are vaulted - no attic and no vents. Although I live near the water, the nighttime tempeture is in the high eighties in the summer months. I was thinking of installing an attic fan in the center of the main hallway which would penetrate the roof at the peak. I figure I would just build a decorative box on the roof(is that a cupula?)

So, is this a stupid idea? If not, is there any wisdom you could share?

 

It sounds like a creative solution to your problem. Send us some pictures when you are finished.

 

You'll be ventilating the house and not the roof, wheather or not this will make things more comfortable for you remains to be seen. Insulation prohibits heat flow by retaining heat. This is by far the main reason for your discomfort in the summer. Attic ventilation removes heat from the insulation through convective heat transfer. What this means is air at a lower temperature will extract heat from other air and/or objects that are at a higher temperature. The increased air temperature causes the air to rise which draws cooler air to this area and the process repeats itself. It does this until the temperature and humidity levels are equal between the air outside and the air and objects in the attic.

Queen Anne or Cape Cods are nortorious for not having adequate ventilation. If and when you ever have to replace your roof, find a good contractor that knows how to install a "COLD ROOF." This will not change the appearance of the roof at all. The only difference is that the roof will be properly ventilated, a lot cooler during the summer, the probability for condensation will be reduced dramatically and your cooling bills will go down.

 

Thanks for the info. I actually will be installing either a slate roof or one of those rubber replicas this summer if the temp ever gets below 95. Do yo know any sources that would have info on a "cold" roof.
Thanks Again
Scott

 

http://www.resercon.com/Ventilation.html This is one of the topics on my site and it discusses how "Cold Roofs" are installed. It is actually quite easy to install. Basically your old roof is torn off exposing the substrate. It is perforated and 1x2 wood slats are nailed on the substrate over your rafters. Plywood is nailed over the slats creating an inch gap between the substrate and the new plywood. Roofing then installed and a drip edge vent installed at the eaves and a ridge vent on the top of the roof. A good roofer will explain how they will deal with your dormers if you have any. You can also access my site on Energy Conservation by clicking on the little "www" icon at the bottom of this message.