Hot Attic Work

[satcom]

At least in Reno - strong sun and little humidity - wetting the roof leads to an immediate drop, and it takes a good half hour or so before the attic starts approaching devilish temperatures again.

How wet to get the roof? Just wet it until it starts to look wet. It's the evaporation, not the wetness, that cools the roof.

Yup, the good old days before AC compressors and high electric bills simple evaporation systems that cooled a building to the point you needed a jacket on a summer day.

 

[ceb58]

I will not allow my men or myself to work in a hot attic. During the summer we are out of the attic by 10 or 11 am depending how shaded the house may be. I plan so the attic work is done early and we start at 7am or earlier if they will let us.

This means it may be a 2 day job instead of a one day job but the productivity is nada when you work in the heat like that.

I am the same. I tell the customer to be up and ready for me no later than 6:00am

I agree with Dennis - it's all about timing and temperature. I have done and will do emergency repairs in a really hot attic (~160 degrees F) but I won't stay there longer than 10 minutes and I won't do it alone - there has to be someone below for safety. In milder temps (below 130) I know guys who disassemble an AC duct and use that to keep cool while working for extended periods (making up JBs etc.).

I like you have done it but is was a desperate situation to have to go in to one in the afternoon. You are correct in the fact in these cases you had better not be alone or think you could depend on the customer if something happened. The A/c duct thing is the trick. I keep a roll of metal foil tape on my trailer just for that