ceilingconstructioncoolingtemperature
I live in the single floor independent house in South India with the ceiling exposed to sun. In summer it gets really hot.
I am not an expert but was wondering if there is a traditional/natural way of cooling the ceiling. Sometimes, inside the house, we feel like living inside the furnace.
Would be glad if you have some ideas in natural cooling techniques.
First, try to prevent the sun from hitting the building in the first place. Shade trees, large overhangs, louvers can all do this. There may be micro louver screens available that appear to be heavy duty insect screens but are actually very small louvers. You can easily see through the louvers, but they prevent the sun from hitting the glass.
Second, reduce the impact of what sun does hit the building by reflecting it away. Transparent reflective film on the window and light colored wall finish will work for this measure.
Third, reduce conducted heat. Insulate the wall so the hot outer surface cannot easily heat the inner surface. Use dual glazing the same way, the hot outer pane cannot easily heat the inner pane.
Fourth, prevent the hot inner surfaces from heating the room's air. Typically drapery or similar treatments. Not just the window, the wall too. Even sheer drapes you can see through are better than nothing. They trap air between the glass and the fabric, creating additional insulating value to keep the heat out of the room, and reduce the transmitted light that would have further heated the room interior.
I've covered how to reduce heat gain through the various modes of how it gets into the room, but I've only scratched the surface of ways to do this. Be creative. Figure out ways to achieve what I've outlined with materials that are readily available to you.
Im not sure what building codes or home owner's restrictions there may be but this is a common solution:
There are many types of variations that are tied to houses, stand alone, etc. It is basically a set of posts (or house attachments) with a top plate and vertical boards (pressure treated of course) affixed. This example then has cross bracing so there will be less warping over time. The key is to align the tall boards East to West so that as the sun rises its angled rays do not penetrate to the patio. The height and spacing of the vertical shade boards is based on sun angle mid summer since that is when the sun is highest. Do it right and there should only be sun on the patio when the sun is lower in the sky (winter, spring, fall) as well as possibly early morning and late evening.
Best Answer
I assume you mean the roof is exposed to the sun...and that in turn is heating your ceiling?
If so, options:
Once the ceiling is warm, it means the heat had already entered the living space. Can't really cool the ceiling at that point without getting the heat out of the living space. Exhaust fans could help...along with perhaps a ceiling fan. Cross ventilation with windows/vents. Etc.