How do I prevent heat build up in my shed?

https://www.bunnings.com.au/foilboard-20-x-2400-x-1200mm-ultra-20-insulation_p0125956

Firstly sorry your great looking sewing room is almost unusable at peak summer times

Can I say lovly photos of your room inside and out showing us you project room

It is great you allready insulated the walls etc.

The ultimate solution to your heat problem is a Split airconditioner system with INVERTER technology for power efficiacy you will only need a small system 3Kw approx. Cost Installed $2000 approx Fujitsu is one brand I trust currently amongst some other good brands. I know its a lot of money for anyone so can I suggest a savings account just for this project, At least your have power to your room allready saving you money.

Not only will this cool your space to exactly the right temperature you want in the summer it will warm you in winter too. Because the shed partly insulated allready and you only will need the air con on for the times your in there and only if it gets hot/cold your power bill will barely blip. If you run it 24/7 ok 1/5 power increase possibly. A small space will not need as much power either.

The truth is Mary your roof and door will heat up to uncomfortable levels regardless of any passive insulation we do. But any extra passive insulation will increase your air cons efficancy not that they cost much to run these days.

1. There are some other Passive cooling options you allready meantioned you might like on the doors and windows, Well there is a solution for all your doors and windows including the back small window, solar window film a clear plastic layer that blocks alot to sun infered and uv light . But it is still a little hot sitting behind the glass even using the best Window film.

Pillar 1.2 x 2.4m Crystal Clear Adhesive Window Film I/N: 3962495 $90 This is the best, UV 99%block age , 90% infrared at the same time is a clear window,

There are cheaper tinted versions of this film .

2 You can grow a big vine over your shed roof completly covering it star jasmine etc if you decide this route say so gardeners here can advise to more options. This will cool your shed dramatically. This will also give you shed a softer more natural outline.

3 Alternatly Under your roof you can place Foil board insulation this help slow the heat increase during the day.

Foilboard 20 x 2400 x 1200mm Ultra 20 Insulation I/N: 0125956 $44.73

I hope this gives you food for thought

All comments

Hi @MaryTonnz,

What's the temperature outside the shed compared to the ambient temperature inside the shed? The roof could heat up above the outside temperature and radiate that inside. If this is the case, it might be worth installing a wall exhaust fan and wall vents to help evacuate this hot air. The system could be set up on a timer that turns the fan on prior to the hottest part of the day, so the inside of the shed isn't saturated with heat.

You might also like to look at insulating the roof with foam insulation panels. These can be easily glued to the underside of the roofing and will assist with preventing heat transfer. The Expol Platinum Board R1.41 2400x1200x45mm Insulation would make a great choice, and your entire roof could be covered with a few sheets.

Another effective solution would be to run a portable air-conditioner in the space. You'd need to duct the outlet through the wall. Once again, if you had it set up on a timer, you could have it turn on a couple of hours prior to when you'd typically use the room, and it should be capable of dropping the temperature to a tolerable level.

Using a combination of roof insulation and the air-con is likely going to give you the best results.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

https://www.bunnings.com.au/foilboard-20-x-2400-x-1200mm-ultra-20-insulation_p0125956

Firstly sorry your great looking sewing room is almost unusable at peak summer times

Can I say lovly photos of your room inside and out showing us you project room

It is great you allready insulated the walls etc.

Pillar 1.2 x 2.4m Crystal Clear Adhesive Window Film I/N: 3962495 $90 This is the best, UV 99%block age , 90% infrared at the same time is a clear window,

There are cheaper tinted versions of this film .

3 Alternatly Under your roof you can place Foil board insulation this help slow the heat increase during the day.

Foilboard 20 x 2400 x 1200mm Ultra 20 Insulation I/N: 0125956 $44.73

I hope this gives you food for thought

Thank you for your information.

I have requested a quote for the air con so will see what that comes to.

I will also check out the foil board, (see if I can put it up myself etc),

and I love the idea of the star jasmine growing up and over the roof.

Mary

Hi @MaryTonnz,

I'm not sure if you'll find foil-backed insulation board in N.Z.. We do have an extensive range of foam insulation panels, though. In your situation, they should would equally well.

Important note for our New Zealand readers:

The New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) issued a ban on the use of foil insulation in July 2016. The ban applies to the installation and/or repair of foil insulation in residential buildings. More information is available here: Foil insulation ban | Building Performance.

Mitchell

OK thank you Mitchell.

Mary

Thank you for that Mitchell, I have now sent out a messed to organise a quote for an air con, and I will go in and look at the insulation panels (if I can glue them to the roof then I am pretty sure I can manage that).

Mary

The small Inverter A/C will instantly Cool and heat your space.

To speed up your Star jasmine plant 2 mid way 1 each side along the side or at the rear corners especially if the hot afternoon sun comes from that direction. If you plant need the door you will have more pruning to do but a crafty person may put concreters mesh each side of the slab points into the ground and standard sheet size 4M x 2M can be easy cut to your size with hacksaw pulled over and bent using its natural springiness meeting a matching sheet fro the other side making it and arch or a round shape with more pulling so the whole effect is like an green arch entery way with plants the mesh will rust but plants will hide it. Hang decoration off mesh etc. Mesh designed to strengthen concrete its strong and a cheap ready made arch way but delivery maybe required and Bunnings only seams to stock smaller sized mesh which isnt long enough to curve over head.

Mesh a ltiile hard to wrangle get a bit of helpFinished arch with green plant drowing.

Using fragrent climbing roses , Rambling rose for roof. Or pick your own favorite climbers

single 6m length as a guide

Heat will be greatly diminished from direct sun radient heat the other insulation wont be required if you wanted to do this in stages.

That looks like a great idea !

Thank you very much.

🙂

update, I took the advice regarding the Air Con and I got in touch on Wednesday for a quote, got that $1995, and it was booked in and installed on Friday. Fantastic !! It makes such a diferrence and will keep the sewing studio warm in winter too 🙂 🙂

Mary

Love it @MaryTonnz! I'm glad to hear you've got it sorted.

I apologise as I missed pointing you towards our in-home services.

For readers of this discussion, I thought I'd point out that Bunnings Australia offers air-conditioning installation, and Bunnings New Zealand offers heat pump installation.

Mitchell

I thought you did Mitchell.

I filled in a form in a link from somewhere (and looking at your link now it looks the same). And I got it installed in 2 days.

Mary

Great to hear @MaryTonnz!

Mitchell