High Temperature Inside His BH !!!

This is a real story about a person who wanted to purchase those humidifiers to cool his BH.

I will not try to put his name in but try to learn about what transpired and how you should tackle those high temperature problem in your BH.

First was his email to me dated Friday 22/10:

Dear Pak Harry,

How are you doing?  

A friend of mine attend your seminar at 1U and he recommended you to me. I have a 2 years BH, the numbers always stay at 70 nest ever since from the 1st day. My BH is very hot after 4 pm up to 31 C. one day, I sneak in to BH at 7pm to take measurements, i was surprise that the temp is 35 C, and I believe it will go up at night. 

So, I have come across to your website and seeing your humidifier unit, what recommendation do you have? My BH is 25 x 70. 2 story independent unit. I intend to try your humidifier to bring down the temp and see how it goes.
Thank you.

 My respond to him on the same date:

Dear Sir,

35*C is bad.

That might be one factor why those birds are not staying in your BH.

You need to list all the possible causes and eliminate them.

Try to consider to put a roof on the top or insulate the wall from the inside or insulate the wall on the outside or prevent direct sunlight shinning onto your BH external walls.

Internally you might want to consider to use the cooler tank with a few humidifiers drawing water from this tank unit.

In worst case U might need to look at installing those air cond unit but run them only at a specific time not more then 2 hours.  Try to monitor your BH temperature fluctuation using those data logger.

Best of luck to you and it anything that I can help please let me know.

Harry 

He replied and send the sketch of his BH.

I replied after reviewing his BH drawing:

 

 

Dear Sir,

 

Thanks for the schematic.

 

I think you first need to check where the heat is coming from.  Use those laser gun temperature sensor and check those walls and roof surfaces for the higher temperature zones.

 

Once you have identify then isolate them or put some kind of insulation internally or externally.

 

Once that is done then we look at the use of humidifiers inside.

 

Beside the heat I think you have something not right on the walls location.  Too short for the birds to turn and the LAL is not proper.

 

Harry
He replied as follows:

Hi, I just pin point the heat on the wall, mostly the heat coming from northwest wall (35degree) and the bird entrance (37 degree) . What is your most conservative way to prevent the heat? All wall are using light weight concrete. Thank you.

I asked him what dimension was the affected wall?


His reply was:


The North-West wall is 70ft long, 9"inch thick, height is about 13ft.

Hmm... the wall is facing the evening sun.  That is a sure reason why those walls were so hot even with a 9 inch thick wall?

My first reaction was to ask him to consider putting up a cover preventing direct sunlight onto the external wall:

Sir,

I think you need to think carefully the various alternatives.

Putting the humidifiers will only reduce about 1*C or so but I think it is better for you to look at installing a kind of sun protection barrier on the outside of the affected wall.

Try to think of a way to prevent the sunlight from hitting the affected wall.  You can use either plastic overlay or  orchid mat or roof sheet or zinc plate and etc. They must be about 10" gap between the main wall and the shade materials.

 The reason is to let the sun hit these new wall and the heat will not be directly touching the BH wall.  Once the front shield heats up the air between the gap (10") will be able to shield the BH wall.  Normally once air got heated and will be lighter thus it will flow upward and cold air will replace the void. 

In this way you will get a reduction of at least 2*C.

If the heat is still above 30*C on the internal surface, you might want to add another layer of heat shield inside the BH.  Use a kind of wood to about 3" think to latch to the affected wall then you put a layer of this shield.  You can then put a layer of cement board to hold the shield in place.

This will get the house to be below 30*C normally 29*C.

Then the humidifier can come into play to reduce the heat a bit lower to 28*C.

The whole idea is to get the temperature down.  Forget about what kind of low density brick you are using.  If you put in a 20 inch slab but the wall inside is still above 30*C you still have to do something?

Best of luck to you.

Harry

His immediate reply was:

Thank you very Harry. I will started to work on the wall, then we will see how it goes. Will keep you updated.

THANK YOU again!!!

That is how I tackle people's with problems at their BH.

I have never met him before but I always treat them as if I have known them for years.

I hope one day he will appreciate my sincere help and he can repay me by helping others like what I did to him............