Domestic climate control

[mtbc]

The milkman now reaches our neighborhood shortly before 4h30: the engine noise carries well in the quiet morning air and upon being awoken yet again and looking around outdoors I notice that it is usual on our street at this time of year for people to sleep with their front bedroom window open. I would guess that we have all had our central heating turned off for weeks now.

One thing that has long puzzled me is why our house is so hot. Do humans really provide that much heat? Or does sunshine coming in through windows? I have noticed that the house is noticeably cooler when we return home after a few days away; my suspicion is that it is something to do with if we use any hot water. Perhaps much energy is being wasted.

Yesterday afternoon I was taking boxes up to the attic and bringing papers back down from files. It was far hotter up there than in the main part of the house. Our summers here are mild indeed; our house in Ohio had an exhaust fan in the attic that would turn on above 100°F or so.

Comments

[emperor]

It's possible that more loft insulation would help?

[mtbc]

Hard to say: It's definitely rather cold up there in the winter. Then I try to minimize the hatch-open time as I feel all the warm air disappearing up through it.

[crazyscot]

You have a milkman?! My parents' milkman - in an affluent suburb of Edinburgh - gave up in the late 90s.

Solar gain is a thing; it's huge here at 43°S. On sunny midwinter days, like yesterday, the north end of our house is very pleasant by lunchtime.

I don't remember solar gain being that great in Edinburgh, and you're a bit further north again. However, now I think about it, that'll be due to the house facing east-west; the south wall was covered in white render and practically windowless. How is your house oriented?

[mtbc]

In walking along Perth Road in Dundee just now I saw some milk in glass bottles outside somebody's door. A few dairies offer milk delivery in the region but I don't know how many reach us: we live in one of the villages along the A90 between Dundee and Perth, probably intermediate socioeconomically.

Solar gain may not explain the house being cooler when we return after a few days away but certainly it can be a significant factor, you're right. Our house's exterior is mostly pale with some darker parts; the bedroom faces north and the living area (with plenty of window area) south.