I live in North Eastern Florida. My attic gets unbearably hot, even during the winter. In the summer, if I don't get up there before 8am, there is no going. I use the attic for storage, and want to lower the temp to preserve the stuff up there. Also, my A/C ducts are through the attic, so lowering the temp should help with my cooling costs. I currently have many bird-hole type soffits vents, and 2 box type exhaust vents near the peak. My main question - when I add a powered attic fan, should I block these exhaust vents so that the cooler outside air is being pulled from the lower soffits, and thus over the whole attic? I'm thinking that if I don't block them, they will let all the air in and I will have the majority of my attic stagnant and hot. Thanks for your help.

Hi. I live in a raised ranch with a basement level door that opens up to a set of steps in a kind of "uncovered bulkhead". The other day, I got a substantial amount of water in my basement....the entire floor had about an inch of water all over it. However, in the laundry room where the outside door is located was the most water. I opened the door to outside to find the whole bulkhead area completely flooded, not draining. I am wondering if this is indeed the source of the water. Is it possible that this much water got underneath a reasonably sealed door? Am I naive in thinking that it was the water just coming in from here or is it more likely coming up from under the floor....HOW CAN I TELL? I want to know where to start correcting the problem, thanks.