Attic Utilization in a Tropical House with These 3 Ways!

Tropical House
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Although tropical house designs are widely applied to residential areas in Indonesia, the attic space’s uses are less popular. This is due to the tropical climate, and high intensity of solar heat, the space under the roof feels hot.

The attic space or under-roof space is formed from a roof design that tapers upwards (triangles) or a sloping roof which is often found in tropical concept homes. With the limited land of the house, utilizing the space under the roof can be a solution to increase space requirements.

Quoted from idea.grid.id, here are tips to keep your attic more comfortable.

1. Create Air Circulation

To increase the comfort space under the roof (attic), air circulation must be considered. Hot air trapped under the roof must be expelled through windows or air vents. Ideally, the ideal ratio of the air hole to the attic area is at least 30%.

The placement can’t be original. With a cross-ventilation system, the air outlet for catching or entering the air must be lower than the air outlet for expelling hot air.

In addition, it must be the opposite. That way cross-air circulation occurs, and the room feels cooler.

2. Choose a Roof Cover Carefully

Choose the roof cover will also affect the attic space comfort. This is because each type of roof has a different level of solar thermal conductivity.

Glazed ceramic tile, for example. With materials undergoing combustion up to 1200°C, heat is more difficult to propagate.

Concrete tiles are similar because they are made of cement dough.

Unlike the case with metal roofs. Metal roofs conduct heat easily. The reason is, with a tropical climate and high intensity of solar heat, the space under the roof feels hot.

The attic space or under-roof space is formed from a roof design that tapers upwards (triangles) or a sloping roof that is often found in tropical concept homes. With the limited land of the house, utilizing the space under the roof can be a solution to increase space requirements.

3. Adding Heat Insulator

The heat-absorbing used materials on the roof can add to the comfort of the attic space when occupied. An aluminum foil sheet is a heat insulator product that is easy to find. In addition, the price is affordable and easy to obtain.

The quality of the damping itself depends on the aluminum foil thickness. The thicker the aluminum foil sheet, the better it is at reducing heat.

You can also use a type insulator of cellulose fiber from recycled newsprint.

But it should be noted the heat insulation layer can’t be effective if the outside temperature is less than 30°C. The insulation only serves to dissipate heat from the Juar, not to cool the space automatically.