energy efficient airconditioning

[terry]

by Ian on Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:54 pm [124.122.220.xx]
I live in a typical Thai house, steel frame, concrete block walls. First thing I did was to create a true plasterboard ceiling. Then I covered this with "stay cool" aluminised insulation. First problem, the loft space became too hot, the steel girders expanded and cracked the walls
I fitted passive extractor fans and installed air vent at the lower end of the sloping roof space. This cured the expansion problems except in very hot weather, but it is acceptable.
I had two aircons installed, the smallest I could find, one in my bedroom one in my main living room, I only use one at a time. As both outside units often have direct sunlight I had canopies fitted over both.
Recently I had my entire roof painted White using a cheap pva paint. I suffer a lot from deposited airbourne particles from burning rice stubble, so decided cheap paint applied every two years was the best solution.
I keep my house at 27 deg which I find comfortable and my aircons turn on about 40% of the time to maintain this.
I also get a local guy to service my aircons, the first time he did this they were appreciably better than when first installed by a large company. I am now experimenting with growing vines over my southern aspect wall.
My domestic total electricity bill is around 1000 Baht per month.

Dear Ian,

I have a few questions?

1 The stay cool insulation. Was the put on the side of the plasterboard ceiling and the loft space area?

2 " fitted passive extractor fans and installed air vent at the lower end of the sloping roof space. This cured the expansion problems except in very hot weather, but it is acceptable."

What happens in very hot weather? Still expanding?

3. Is your roof concrete?

Terry

[Ian]

Dear Ian,
I have a few questions?
1 The stay cool insulation. Was the put on the side of the plasterboard ceiling and the loft space area?
2 " fitted passive extractor fans and installed air vent at the lower end of the sloping roof space. This cured the expansion problems except in very hot weather, but it is acceptable."
What happens in very hot weather? Still expanding?
3. Is your roof concrete?

Terry

Being English I made a mistake with the stay cool, unlike England where loft insulation is designed to keep heat in, here we want to keep it out
Thus I should have applied the stay cool to the underside of the roof not on the loft floor. Naturally my loft became a sauna.
Perhaps when the exchange rate improves I will rearrange it.
The strength of my house is the steel frame, the bricks are non structural infill. I have a crack in one high wall which in very hot weather is a tapered 1cm at the top running downwards about 1m. However in the cooler rainy season it closes up. It does no harm but offends my sensibilities.
My roof is corrugated asbestos cement.
I am also having to deal with subsidence, this effects the entire village. Watching house being currently built in my area I can understand why.
I have seen a few houses with a garden sprinkler mounted on the roof to utilise evaporative cooling. I intend to experiment and see both how effective this is and what are the running costs, is water cheaper than aircon electricity?

[Sean Moran]

by brendya on Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:22 p04 [59.93.196.xx]
Can a dog be okay without air conditioning during the summer in an apt?
We might be moving into a huge 2,000 sq ft warehouse loft next month, but it does not have air conditioning. We have a dog and 2 cats. We live in Philadelphia so it gets hot in the summer. There is a huge fan up on the high ceiling and we will probably put an air conditioner in the window in the bedroom area, since there are walls around the bedroom. For the most part, it wont be air conditioned. I am worried that the dog will pass out or get over-heated. Should I be worried?

brendya

Hello,

Perhaps I could offer some advice if I could get more info.

1 Where is the warehouse located? Bangkok, in the provinces??

2 What is the shape of the roof and roof material?

Yes, and it might be helpful of Brendya could supply a photo of the mutt so that we might determine the breed.

[Acecooper]

by brendya on Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:22 p04 [59.93.196.xx]
Can a dog be okay without air conditioning during the summer in an apt?
We might be moving into a huge 2,000 sq ft warehouse loft next month, but it does not have air conditioning. We have a dog and 2 cats. We live in Philadelphia so it gets hot in the summer. There is a huge fan up on the high ceiling and we will probably put an air conditioner in the window in the bedroom area, since there are walls around the bedroom. For the most part, it wont be air conditioned. I am worried that the dog will pass out or get over-heated. Should I be worried?

brendya

Hello,

Perhaps I could offer some advice if I could get more info.

1 Where is the warehouse located? Bangkok, in the provinces??

2 What is the shape of the roof and roof material?

Yes, and it might be helpful of Brendya could supply a photo of the mutt so that we might determine the breed.

Those guides definitely helps us a long the way Moran. Dogs need attention during summer day. It is better if you place them in a cool place.

[bangbang]

The climate these days also have affected way of living in Asia. 10 or 20 years ago, air-conditioning was a luxury, not a necessity. Today, its just so hot during the summer, living with an aircon is a very difficult situation to be in.