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Here in Texas we have playgrounds with stretched tarps over them. I wonder how much it would help a home energy use to have similar tarps inches above the roof

Here in Texas we have playgrounds with stretched tarps over them. I wonder how much it would help a home energy use to have similar tarps inches above the roof giving the whole structure shade throughout the day.

zeveb 9y ago
Isn't that basically what an attic is for? It's semi-open to the elements, with lots of ventilation, providing a thermal buffer for the home.
- clavalle 9y ago
  I don't know about anyone else's attic but ours is a holding tank for incredibly hot air during the summer.
edwhitesell 9y ago
My wife and I have seriously considered this. It could also be an interesting way to combat hail damage. Unfortunately the HOA would never allow it.
wavefunction 9y ago
Easier to just plant more trees imo. If our governor will allow such a thing to occur...
- conductr 9y ago
  Or because of time some sort of trellis of fast growing vines. Maybe Mr Burns sun blocker machine
tacticus 9y ago
Where i grew up i knew someone who built a safari roof over their house. (the name comes from the vented double top that was an option on land rovers) They stuck whirlybird vents at the apex with a controllable iris. Adjustable Louvres with seals were placed around the edges of the second roof. These allowed the venting air to be shut off in winter and opened in summer. giving you great insulation or ventilation. Combined with the many other things they did (vines in front of walls for summer heat blockages, A well populated garden of low water plants, good insulation everywhere, a white painted roof and double glazed windows) meant that for most of the year no active cooling or heating was required. And this was a place that commonly sees winters with lows of -10 and summers with periods of +35 as the nightly low (daily maxes are +40 for 2 to 3 weeks at a time (Air drying clothes in summer generally took less time than hanging them out. :| )) Much nicer than the typical house in central Australia.

zeveb 9y ago

Isn't that basically what an attic is for? It's semi-open to the elements, with lots of ventilation, providing a thermal buffer for the home.

clavalle 9y ago
I don't know about anyone else's attic but ours is a holding tank for incredibly hot air during the summer.

edwhitesell 9y ago

My wife and I have seriously considered this. It could also be an interesting way to combat hail damage. Unfortunately the HOA would never allow it.

wavefunction 9y ago

Easier to just plant more trees imo. If our governor will allow such a thing to occur...

conductr 9y ago
Or because of time some sort of trellis of fast growing vines. Maybe Mr Burns sun blocker machine

tacticus 9y ago

Where i grew up i knew someone who built a safari roof over their house. (the name comes from the vented double top that was an option on land rovers) They stuck whirlybird vents at the apex with a controllable iris. Adjustable Louvres with seals were placed around the edges of the second roof. These allowed the venting air to be shut off in winter and opened in summer. giving you great insulation or ventilation. Combined with the many other things they did (vines in front of walls for summer heat blockages, A well populated garden of low water plants, good insulation everywhere, a white painted roof and double glazed windows) meant that for most of the year no active cooling or heating was required. And this was a place that commonly sees winters with lows of -10 and summers with periods of +35 as the nightly low (daily maxes are +40 for 2 to 3 weeks at a time (Air drying clothes in summer generally took less time than hanging them out. :| )) Much nicer than the typical house in central Australia.