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comment by briandmyers
briandmyers  ·  3573 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Why don't house roofs do this?

I've often wondered if it wouldn't be a good idea in hot climates to add a smart sprinkler system which would simply wet the hot surfaces of a house (primarily the roof), periodically, whenever it's hot. Evaporative cooling can transfer a lot of heat.





mk  ·  3572 days ago  ·  link  ·  

If water is in abundance, it's reasonable. My grandfather used to hose the roof for this reason. I wonder if you could measure the effect with a thermometer in the attic?

On a related note, no hot water heater need run on a summer day. If you had pipes that traveled along the roof, you could get plenty of heat. Also, refrigerators should use outside air in the winter in cold climates.