Keeping uninsulated yurt cool during South Florida summer

[damionryan]

Hello,

My name’s Damion, I just moved into a yurt in South Florida on a 10 acre farm in an area called Loxahatchee Groves.

Summer is approaching and the heat and humidity is blistering. The yurt is uninsulated but luckily partially shaded by surrounding trees.

I have a small A/C unit, a dehumidifier, shades on the window, and I am working to block the

dome

.

I do not own the yurt, I am a full time college student living here (for one year) until I transfer to the University of Florida.

What can I do, besides fully insulate the place and what I have aforementioned to create a more comfortable living environment?

[Pacific Yurts]

You can find some tips on cooling on our website here: https://www.yurts.com/customer-suppo...in-the-summer/.

[Bob Rowlands]

Thanks Pacific! Very good tips.

I hiked up the wall cover a foot all around the base of the wall. That created a natural cooling draft up through the roof vent. However bugs aren't an issue here.

Sun hitting the cover absorbs the heat. Yurts have no 'attic' and the associated roof venting system like a conventional house. So, keeping direct sun off the yurt is absolutely essential to keeping it cool, imo.

If you were lucky you might be able to simply run a rope ridgeline(s) over the yurt from a couple close trees and drape a huge white poly tarp over that.

Another possibility would be to make a 'second venting roof' over the yurt, using a white poly tarp and pool noodle 'bridle' that lays on the existing roof cover.

The 'second roof' needs to be spaced above the cover for hot air to escape. Use cheap pool noodles with a hole through them and rope cordage from the dollar store or wherever. Create a star or wheel spoke shaped bridle that lays on top of the yurt cover, and anchor to deck or ground. Cover the bridle with a white poly tarp. Cut a hole in the apex for the heat to escape. The noodle bridle creates the air gap. The white poly tarp keeps sun off the yurt cover.

Good luck.

[Wintergreen282]

Hi Damion. Any sun you can keep off the yurt is helpful. Unfortunately with the high ceilings, general draftiness, and small amount of thermal mass, I think it’s tough to seal things up enough to keep the heat out and/or night coolness in like I used to in my house. Unfortunately I think running an AC and dehumidifier might result in unacceptably high utility bills.

What I do when things get too hot is to just leave. Head to the library, beach, grocery store, etc during the worst part of the day. A hammock under a tree works well too. If you can get up early, do that and take a siesta in the afternoon. I’m much farther north, so things do cool off pretty quick once the sun starts setting. Without that thermal mass and with good air flow, the yurt does too. If at home and I get to “head exploding” hot, I just strip down, go out on the porch, and dump a gallon of water over my head. It’s shockingly effective. Towel off a bit and sit in front of the fan. Good luck! I think yurts bring you closer to nature and nature isn’t always comfortable. Kind of have to work within some limitations - which is not “normal” 1st World behavior - sadly.

[Bob Rowlands]

That was a nice post Melissa. Thanks.

[TSRalex]

Originally Posted by Wintergreen282

I think yurts bring you closer to nature and nature isn’t always comfortable.

I love this sentence.

[UKadventurer]

In Mongolia, the nomads lift up the side canvas in summer. With a 30cm (12”) gap all around and the hole in the roof and the door open, the gers (yurts) ventilate reasonably well with any wind from any direction. A/C doesn’t exist here. With a small solar panel, I suppose an electric fan might be feasible for mechanical airflow but I’ve never seen one.

That being said, Mongolia isn’t hot and humid. In the Gobi, it’s hottish but dry.

[Bob Rowlands]

Yup. I did that 'roll up the side canvas' trick many times. VERY effective way to get a super nice draft flowing on a hot day.