2429 Serendipity

Tuesday, June 8, 2009

I have turned the heat off, but have not yet turned the A/C on. I have a large attic fan that goes on when the temperature in the attic gets above 80, and a few weeks ago I fully opened the drop-down hatch to the attic. It's in the bedroom wing hall, and you have to duck under it to avoid bonks, but it's only me so that's ok.

The attic fan has been going on earlier and earlier every day now, but I haven't yet needed the A/C (which, by the way, is still the old groundwater-based heat pump; I'm hoping that the new well pump will make a difference).

Last night I was in the bathroom. Jasper flopped down next to the forced air vent and asked for a belly rub. I reached down, and felt a strong flow of cold air from the vent.

Huh?

I checked, and the heat and A/C are both off, so it's not either of their fans blowing cool air. The only thing I can figure is that since I have no windows open, the attic fan is pulling air from the basement up through the ducts. I had assumed it would be satisfied to pull air through the soffit and peak vents in the attic itself.

It's surprising how strong the pull is.

Hey, that works! There's so much rock lining three of the four basement walls (the fourth wall is walkout) that the basement stays cool no matter how hot it gets outside or upstairs.

This could absolutely work!
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