Thursday, April 3, 2008

Make your house stays cool - the cheaper and effective way

Being an equatorial country, the weather here in Malaysia is damn hot, especially when there is no raining for some times. The temperature in our house can easily gone up to more than 30 degree Celsius during daytime, and remains there for many hours at night before cooling off. Even since I moved to my linked house, I had been wondering what would be the best solution to lower down the temperature in the house, so that I could save on electricity bills by using the air-cons lesser. Since the heat comes from the sun, I focused on solutions on top of the ceiling. In the HOMEDEC Expo, I found vendor selling reflective sheets to be laid down on top of the ceiling, and also insulating material to be laid down in the same manner. But the cost is a bit high. In addition, the developer of my house already laid a layer of aluminium sheet underneath the roof tiles of my house, but I could still feel the heat. Therefore, I doubted on the effectiveness of those methods. I continued searching... 2 years ago, I found another vendor showcased their product with a mobile booth in South City selling turbine ventilators to be installed on roof top. I've seen those ventilators before, and convinced by its features and price. The temperature in my house always stays below 30 degree Celsius after the installation. It works! turbine ventilators 

The Turbine Ventilators 

air vent 
One Of The Air Vents 

This ventilation system consists of:
  • 2x aluminium wind turbine 16" in diameter turning 24x7 on free floating system
  • 8x air vents installed on ceiling

And the total cost of ownership is RM1,196 inclusive installation and 10 years warranty. (If your house land area is small, you could install only 1 turbine with 4 air vents at half the cost. Each turbine is effective to cover area of 500 square feets.)

So, what are its features that have convinced me?

  • It is designed to turn at the slightest air movement, expelling warm air and ventilating the whole house continuously 24x7x365.
  • It keeps the house cool by natural air movement, operates dynamically and does not use any electricity.
  • Even in a windless day, hot air rises from the house will work to turn the turbines.
  • It is designed to deflect water, making the system leak-proof to rain water.
  • It has high speed limiting mechanism to prevent the turbine throat from blown away by strong wind.
  • It is totally maintenance free. Its teflon impregnated bearing does not need to be oiled and working soundlessly all the time.

The brand of my turbine ventilators is Denko, distributed by Taika Enterprise. The vendor's booth is mobile in several hybermarkets. Sometimes I saw them in Tesco too.


54 comments:

Anonymous said... Reply To This Comment

sound great...maybe i should install one in my house too.

halcyon said... Reply To This Comment

Taika Denko isn't too bad esp big diameter (16"). They frequent Giant or Tescos for promotion. For that price, it's reasonable.

Avoid 12" which my new home had before I replaced it with 14" Lomanco roof ventilator turbines (www.dynaspec.com.my) They cost RM430 per piece - bought 2. Comes with 25yr warranty. The brochure stated that it weighs 1.2kg and I carried it just before they installed it. Very light!!! Also in the brochure, independent test from one of our local university says the turbine turns in winds as low as 1.5km/h.

I was told by the sales guy that my old 12" ventilators was incorrectly situated. It was 4/5th of the way to the ridge line (semi-tubular capping tiles laid horizontally over the gap formed from both the topmost house front-facing and rear-facing section of roof-tiles) when it should be immediately below it. Before replacing, the hot air is still trapped up there and I wondered why it's still so hot. At night with strong winds during rain, the kaput 12" creaks!!!! Now that's history with the Lomanco installed. Love them!

One caveat though, in the suburbs, noon-late afternoon sunshine are also when ground surface the temp is highest (black road surface, go figure). If the lawn is tiled without a garden or tree shaded lawn, the roof ventilation will draw hot air out of the attic space. That's fine but nature abhors a vacuum so guess if the sliding door is open in the living room, what comes in? Bingo! Hot air ;)

The aluminium sheet is termed radiant barrier. Heated tiles radiates infrared heat and heats up the attic space plus the ceiling space before cooking any occupants upstairs. Fine if we don't mind a sauna. ;) However, a radiant barrier are a must in this weather to reflect the infrared range of heat away (in winter countries it traps heat in and keeps heating cost down).

There are three types available but only 2 are widely used here: aluminium foil sheet (commonly along roof battens where tiles are seated), glass wool fibres (over ceiling board like CSR Coolbatts). The not-found-here is an aluminium foil sheet shavings which is more common in temperate countries like US or Canada.

Proper installation is the key to cooler roofs. Thickness and reflectivity (shiny-ness) of the sheet is important. There are many vendors around from integrated cool roof systems like La Farge/Monier to space tech (Parsec also carried by Dynaspec. Apparently don't know if it's still true today - Parsec is only make allowed in SG). One that I like best is Heataway carried by GoldMark Trading). Heataway is constructed with an upper sheet (first radiant barrier) and an undersheet. Sandwiched in between is a honeycomb of air bubble wrap which forms the second barrier whilst the undersheet, it's third. The attic space then becomes the fourth barrier, the ceiling gypsum board 5th.

If thoroughness is called for combine these with proper roof cross-ventilation (vermin netted slits or holes in the ceiling board outermost overhang of the roof on both front and back), that's the formula for a cool roof. Roof cross ventilation is quite recent practice here I suppose cos most roof overhangs are plain-vanilla gypsum boards without holes or slits.

For city/suburb landed 2-storey dwelling folks like me, mind the afternoon sun and close the door and sliding windows if the lawn is tiled up even with roof ventilation and insulation. This does not apply late at night to early morning before 9-10am.

However, sweating is healthy, so yeah soak up all the heat and sweat it all out. Nothing beats a sauna to bring out them toxins eh? :)

Voyager8 said... Reply To This Comment

Thanks for your sharing, you are very knowledgeable.

Anonymous said... Reply To This Comment

I saw Taika Denko at Giant (Puteri Puchong). There r two products:

1.F.Floating-warranty 10years RM598
2.Bearing - warranty 1 year RM448

Is Taike Denko product reliable? Which one is better? My house is double storey and it is quite warm during afternoon in upper floor...:(

Voyager8 said... Reply To This Comment

Hi,

The Taika Denko has been working on top of my house for more than 2 years now. So far so good. Seems like the price remains the same too.

Get the free float one. It is durable and maintenance free. That's why they can give 10 years warranty.

halcyon said... Reply To This Comment

Taika Denko is good. get the fluid bearing model. There's a way to calculate how much air to evacuate from the ceiling space.

2 x 14" is good for single/double storey link houses of up to 22x75 (eff roof area is 20x40)

2 x 16" is also good for single/double storey link houses of up to 24x90 (eff roof area is 22x50)

2-3 x 24" normally is meant for factories and warehouses but consider this for a simple pitch roof /\ design of up to 30x90 (eff roof area 28x60)

Other brands available are Wesflo from Erten based in NS. They also sell roof skylights which appealed to me for the smaller bath and walk in wardrobe but they don't have it in 10" sizes

Anonymous said... Reply To This Comment

Hi,

Comparing aluminium foil sheet and glass wool fibres, which one is more effective?

All I know is that aluminium foil sheet has a lifespan of 10-15 years. Is Heataway the best aluminium foil sheet in market? All of them seems to be the same to me. Can't really differentiate by visual inspection.

As for glass wool fibres, it has lifetime warranty and unlike aluminium foil sheet, it traps heat instead of reflecting.

Cost wise, aluminium foil sheet is cheaper but limited lifespan vs. glass wool fibre with lifetime warranty and more expensive.

Is radiant barrier or glass wool fibre insulation effective enough to reduce the heat? Should I install a turbine ventilator? My house is a single storey 20x65.

Apart from the price and warranty period, what is the advantage of Lomanco over Taika Denko?

Anonymous said... Reply To This Comment

i did install 2 at my house with AIR VENTILATION ENTERPRISE. (010-2262875) IS MUCH CHEAPER AND GOOD SERVICE. u all may try to.

Anonymous said... Reply To This Comment

Hi! Voyager, from the Dynaspec
http://www.dynaspec.com.my/gspec.htm
i saw this :

- Lifetime product warranty and 2- years warranty against Water Leakage.

Does this mean it will leak some time later?

How is your Denko, got any leakage so far?

Thanks.
kclau.

Voyager8 said... Reply To This Comment

Hi kclau,

So far I have no problem with my wind turbines. They are working fine.

The design of the wind turbine should not allow water leakage.

Usually water leakage happened with poor workmanship, because you need to open up a cavity on your rooftop right below the turbine. If the workmanship is poor then water leakage might happen from the cavity.

Yuusuke Maeno said... Reply To This Comment

h,, unfortunately dynaspec website is down. so please update us, is the Taika Denko still working fine? My main concern is that some neighbours complained that their house is now dustier due to the air vents installed at their ceilings. Dust seems to drop from the ceiling into their rooms. Is this true? any experience?

Voyager8 said... Reply To This Comment

Hi AKF,

I've been using the Denko turbine for more than 3 years. Still working good.

If you find dust accumulated around the air vents, just use a vacuum cleaner to clean up.

yloon said... Reply To This Comment

Voyager8, do you feel dustier compare to before you install it?
do you sweep your floor or vacuum your house more often now?

I wish it is not, because i hope i can install this too.

Voyager8 said... Reply To This Comment

Hi yloon,

I find it less dustier.

leongsum said... Reply To This Comment

hi,i installed again Bigbird turbo roof ventilator brought from selangor malaysia.It is 15 years warranty.no matters it rains it is still spinning but at night sometimes it has stop spinning.please check this website:www.dynaair.com.my thanks 8th voyager.

leongsum said... Reply To This Comment
This comment has been removed by the author.
leongsum said... Reply To This Comment

Voyager8,may i asked you how much your denko taika ventilator's warranty is?

leongsum said... Reply To This Comment

my house have ventilators too.it was the bigbird ventilators(wesflo).i bought was too bigger than yours.it was about over 1000mm.that is what i forgot to tell you.

leongsum said... Reply To This Comment

i have a question,how come GIANT supermarket have roof ventilators lah?

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

Leongsum, for the bigbird (weslo), the are asking for RM780 for 2x16" now. Any noise so far for your bigbird?

leongsum said... Reply To This Comment

No problem for my big bird ventilators and ot sound can be heard from it.thanks,duck.but,i thought my uncle said that it was RM 500 above?

leongsum said... Reply To This Comment
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said... Reply To This Comment

Is turbine ventilator suitable for kampung house?

Voyager8 said... Reply To This Comment

Hi,

It depends on the roof material.

The turbine ventilator is suitable for tiled roof.

leongsum said... Reply To This Comment

yah!voyager8 is correct!

Anonymous said... Reply To This Comment

hi,

is the turbine ventilator sound noisy?

Voyager8 said... Reply To This Comment

Hi,

The turbine ventilator should be very quiet.

Clayton said... Reply To This Comment

Dynaair broke and fell off my roof after only 4 months of installation. I had to climb up the roof to put a plastic sheet. Also Dynaair only install 1 unit but charged me for 2!

When I called to report this issue, they say have to wait because their installers are all busy!

I spoke to a lady called Rose.

Chong said... Reply To This Comment

I am considering between Taika & Wesflo turbine ventilator. Wesflo seems cheaper with their promotion 780 for 2 pcs. While Taika is RM500++ per pcs for Free Floating model.

Anonymous said... Reply To This Comment

clayton:

so did the dynaair stafss come to fix your problem?

thanks

Fortune said... Reply To This Comment

Hi, I saw Taika Denko Free Floating System Wind Turbine Ventilator 16" is having a promotion at kajang GAINT. Maybe you all can go to have a look and I have one of their sale manager phone no. 019-2748023 (Mr. Thomas Yen).

Fortune said... Reply To This Comment

Oh ya! I had installed 2 units taika brand on my roof too for more then 5 yrs n is still looking gud!

Anonymous said... Reply To This Comment

All this has been very informative. Currently, I'm looking at whats available in the market. I have been recommended Ozvent fr NZ. Anyone has experience using this? Have also heard of Wesflo but not Taika. Just wondered how reliable they are? Any input appreciated.

Fortune said... Reply To This Comment

hi! this is the web page for taika enterprise http://www.taika.com.my/company-profile.html
anyone who is interested can go n hv a look.thx

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

Hi Anonymous,

i have experience about my aunt that she installed the 5 HORNE wind ventilator on her shop bak kut teh tea house at jementah but hot air still trap inside and it could not be so cool.what to do now??

Anonymous said... Reply To This Comment

Clayton,

How is your dynaair doing now after the "broke & fell" incident?

Anonymous said... Reply To This Comment

I'm thinking of installing both the CSR coolbatts on top of the ceiling board and wind turbine on my double storey. Anybody has any such experience or comments?

Roof ventilator said... Reply To This Comment

Hello.
If a roof is properly ventilated, it can increase the longevity of it's structure.

Mok said... Reply To This Comment

A new roof heat shield called - Bubble heat shield is made of aluminum sheets (deflects radiant heat) that is sandwiched with bubble air (eliminating the need for irritating fibers to prevent conductive heat), light weight (eliminating need for wire gauge) becomes a all in one cheap, easy to handle and high performing alternative, guarantees that the roof heat does not exceed 1 deg higher than the floor temp. Really impressive.

sunsanka said... Reply To This Comment

any supplier at penang??

Voyager8 said... Reply To This Comment

@sunsanka

Not sure.

You can call the vendor to check out.

jasonyan said... Reply To This Comment

Dear All,

I had been quoted 2 x 21" cost RM1200 full installed + 4 ceiling openings for ceiling vents. Is 4 ceiling openings enough as I thought it may need more?

Cheers

Voyager8 said... Reply To This Comment

@jasonyan

Normally 1 turbine comes with 4 vents, 2 turbines comes with 8 vents.

You can also order additional vents, the cost should be in their pricing list.

jasonyan said... Reply To This Comment

Hi Voyager,

Its 4 ceiling opening with 8 ceiling vents ie 2 vents per opening. I'm still wondering if this turbine will work for 2.5 storey house? Any suggestion?

Thank you

Voyager8 said... Reply To This Comment

@jasonyan

Each vent has own opening in different location.

turbine ventilator said... Reply To This Comment

Hi, im installer for turbine ventilator ,almost already know function for ventilator,My promotion price with installation are follows:- 2 unit rm 700, 3 unit rm 1000,for installation please call me for installation sya 018 2531262

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

Thank you for sharing this information
crossventconcept.in

Fortune said... Reply To This Comment

Taika main production is located in Penang, anyone who is interested may try to contact taika for further information. Currently they are having promotion in giant bandar kinara. But the price when up to rm698 per unit

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

Hi, anyone got taika denko turbine installer contacts in ipoh?

Truth.be.told! said... Reply To This Comment

Is it available in batu pahat?

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

Any contact for ipoh area?

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

Hello, I am looking at either the free floating (eg: Taika) vs bearing type of turbine ventilator, any users would like to share their experience after using for few years?

My last unit was a bearing type, it became noisy & flew off after 10 years ...

Voyager8 said... Reply To This Comment

@Wellthy Resources

Just go for free floating.

My Taika has been serving my house for more than 10 years and still up and running well.

Unknown said... Reply To This Comment

Dear all. I really need something to make my secondfloor terrace to be really cool as now it is extremely hot and no one wanted to stay upstairs. Currently my roof is not tiles but zibc roof with aluminium buffer beneath it. Please someone help me...urgent !!

Post a Comment

Hint: Click on the "Older Posts" link to continue reading, or click here for a listing of all my past 3 months articles.