Utility / Laundry room unbearable hot

13 years ago

Hi, we just bought a very cute house. Apart from the bedrooms and bathroom, it is mostly open plan.

The kitchen leads to the dining and utility room. The utility room has a large wall opening that leads to the dining room. I don't know what else to call that opening- it looks like where a window used to be before they converted it.

Anyways the utility room looks like a porch conversion. It is hard to tell because it does sit on the crawl space foundation, and it does have duct work ran to it, and it does have electricity and plumbing.

It has two large windows, and the walls are very well done, as is the ceiling. There is one wall facing north (with double paned energy efficient window) and one wall facing west (with regular old window).

The room contains the laundry room and built in storage as well as some kitchen space and the hot water heater closet. It has tiled floors and plaster/paint.

Sorry if that is TMI.

My issue is it is HOT in there! I was hanging new blinds in there, to try and block out some of the suns heat, and the ceiling was warm to the touch, the air up there is very hot. This air makes its way into the rest of the house. Not a huge deal but it makes it really hard to be in the kitchen/utility to do chores as it is so hot. Also the dogs quarters are in the utility. I run a fan in there to try and get some cooler air into it. Noting really helps. The AC floor register is located under a built in desk so most of the AC air doesn't make it into the rest of the room.

I am worried how hot and cold this room is going to be. Looking at it from inside or outside house you can't even it is an ad on, apart from the fact that the ceiling has NO INSULATION.

Does any one have any sugestions to keep this room cool? I am unable to drop the celing lower to make an insulated space. I considered replacing the light fixture with a celing fan- but not sure if this is a good idea or not. The room is pretty small, but it may direct some of that hot air down? Would increased air circulation help at all? What about the vent under the desk? Would a diverter over the register help ?

My main concern is not to remodel it just to make it a bit better. I don't want the dogs to be too hot or too cold in winter. Sorry for the long post I hope I included all info you needed. Many thanks!!! Angie

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Comments (11)

angiepangie
Original Author
13 years ago
I just noticed that the vent, located under the built in desk in front of the window- the desk part can be removed.
angiepangie
Original Author
13 years ago
picture...

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10151414083658364&set=a.10151313659868364.1073741825.674588363&type=3&theater
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User
13 years ago
{{!gwi}}

What does the roof look like above it? Insulation needs to go into the attic. And the non insulated windows should be on your list to replace.
weedyacres
13 years ago
You need to insulate the ceiling. Do you have attic access?
annzgw
13 years ago
Definitely needs ceiling insulation of some sort. Also check the size of the AC unit and how much air is coming thru the vent. It could be the unit is not large enough to supply the correct amount of air flow to the add-on.
User
13 years ago
If this was formerly a porch, there might not be any insulation in the walls. It's worth doing a drywall patch for an exploratory hole to see what's there in both the walls and ceiling. Unless you have access from the attic above. That would be the best case scenario.
angiepangie
Original Author
13 years ago
Re the windows, we plan to replace it when we can afford it. The unit is properly sized for the house, the house is only 835 sq ft. This room sits right off the unit so it should be the first room getting air. I am going to have my husband check if he can access the space above for insulation. The attic access is only a smallish opening in a closet. I for one would not fit through that opening! Yesterday I replaced one set of blinds and that seemed to help, but we really need to look into that attic. I will keep you posted. Thank you everyone!
angiepangie
Original Author
13 years ago
Looking into the insulation on walls is a good idea. there is a dryer vent in one wall. Would I be able to tell looking in there? I wonder if I need to worry about water lines freezing- plumbing on an outside, possibly non insulated wall...
PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
13 years ago
If it is a former porch, you can guarantee that the insulation is probably altogether missing.

Start poking around and see what you come up with.

The floors will need to be insulated as well as the attic. Very common to have uncomfortable sections of homes that were add ons or spaces that just got closed in.
juliekcmo
13 years ago
Good advice above.

I work in hvac and have some suggestions.

For now, make sure all lighting is cfls. They throw off much less heat than incandescent.

Keep window coverings closed to eliminate solar gain.

Consider a bathroom type ceiling fan to exhaust some heat. They are not all that expensive.

If you have not yet used the government energy tax credit then see if it can help with costs for adding insulation. Adding insulation is the best way to help. The warm ceiling tells you that. Is there standard attic space above. Do you have attic vents to help the heat escape.

Do any adjacent rooms backbup to this room with AC vents. If so the you may be able to easily add another vent to get more conditioned air into the space.
angiepangie
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you everyone for your suggestions. Husband will go into attic to look at insulation situation. There are shutter type vents on the front of the house but non on the fascia. The walls may not be insulated- but one wall is taken up by door, and the other two walls are taken up by window- not much wall space- about 3x4 is the biggest section, I did contact OGE and applied for their HEEP program, and put a diverter onto the register under the desk. I replaced bulbs with CFL. OGE is suppposed to give me up to $500 rebate for insulation and tighten and insspect duct work for leaks, for free. I think I am off on the right path I will post back and let you know how it turns out. Thanks a bunch all of you !