My container house looked like a sauna box until I added a 4-foot overhang on the south side

After six months of living in an oven during Arizona summers, I finally extended the roof by 4 feet and now the interior temp dropped 12 degrees without any AC, has anyone else tried adjusting their roof overhang instead of just adding insulation?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliotburns20d ago

Wait, have you ever noticed how this same principle shows up everywhere once you start looking? Like how a big tree with a thick canopy can keep a whole patio 10 degrees cooler just from the shade it throws, or how those old-timey porch overhangs on farmhouses were designed to keep summer sun off the walls but let winter sun in. It's just a smarter way to work with the sun instead of fighting it with insulation and AC. I feel like most people throw more money at insulation or fancy windows when really the cheapest fix is just changing the angle of your roof or adding a simple awning.

nathang6720d ago

The 4-foot overhang is the real deal for passive cooling. I did the same thing on my place up in Flagstaff except I went with a 5-foot overhang on the south and west sides. Insulation helps but direct sun hitting your walls is what turns a container into a slow cooker. You should also look at what type of overhang you used solid vs lattice. Solid blocks all the sun but lattice cuts the heat load while still letting some light through and it seems to keep the temp drop pretty consistent.