Safety Working in Hot Attics - Keeping Weatherization Workers Safe
By: Steve McKenna – Director Building efficiency – Murtha Construction
So, we need to conduct home weatherization services 365 days a year to help solve our society’s issues.
Unfortunately, doing insulation and air sealing work in the summer months can be a hazardous occupation. We searched far and wide to provide our workers the healthiest environment possible when working in attics during the summer months.
We started out by purchasing a $500.00 ventilation system. It made things a bit more bearable, but our workers still suffered in hot and humid summers. The $1000 ventilation system performed only marginally better.
An air conditioner, vented to the attic was a consideration, but finding the proper electrical hook up and electric consumption made this option less than desirable.
Evaporative cooling systems seemed to hold the most promise, but they were expensive, bulky and required energy to run.
Then it occurred to us, evaporative cooling was the answer, but it was really expensive. Or was it?
The solution...
Set up one of these sprinklers on your client’s roof. It is a great use of water to preserve life and the water used in this manner replenishes our aquifer.
It is our experience that a sprinkler on the roof can lower attic temperatures by up to 40° F. When your weatherization workers take lunch in the attic, you know you are on to something that works better than you could have hoped for!
Now, weatherization workers can comfortably and safely go about their business year round!
Our highly sophisticated evaporative cooling system can be built as follows:
- Purchase an oscillating sprinkler like the one pictured above. $12.00
- Purchase 25 or 50 feet of common garden hose. $20.00
- Set the sprinkler up to cover the roof above the work area,
- Turn on the water and lower the attic temperatures by up to 40° F
Total expenditure $32.00
Client cost of water: $4.00
Preventing a skilled weatherization worker from experiencing heat stroke.... Priceless!
Link to this article: www.murthaconstruction.com/BuildingEfficiency/Articles/Safelyworkinginhotattics.aspx