Hi, first post here.
My attic is extremely hot and i am sure the A/C unit is working overtime to overcome the ambient temperature effect on the ducting. It is nearly impossible to get the rooms upstairs below 80F on a 90F+ day. The installer came to the house at my request and put more refrigerant in the unit. It seems to me that adding refrigerant means there is a leak or the unit wasn't charged properly to begin with. $200 later, i still have the problem. Oh, he replaced my filter free of charge. LOL.
The ducting is the flexible tube type and is secured to each vent and the returns with plastic strapping. All the metal ducting is wrapped with foil insulation. However, the air handler is leaking some cold air around the sheet metal that makes up the outside of the unit. I will get some HVAC tape and seal that up so that should help.
I have a baffled ridge vent installed, 30 ft in length over an attic that measures 36X20. There are gable vents at each end of the house. However, at one end, the attic A/C unit installed during my last remodel is blocking 75% of the vent. Why they did that is beyond me. Didn't notice it until i went up in the attic recently.
I want to bring the temp down in the attic and i am thinking of either an electric or solar exhaust fan in the roof. Do i need to worry about how much air flow can pass thru the gables? Should i consider putting a couple of passive vents in the roof to allow more air flow to the fan?
There is 12" of fiberglass insulation in the attic floor but none inthe rafters. And the roof has no soffit venting due to the gambrel style. No overhang.
If is 12:30 PM EST and the outside temp is 85F and the attic is 99F
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.