Is this dumb idea or genius

Now that the Texas  summer heat is really kicking in our AC is running constantly to cool the house. The front of house is all brick. And unfortunately that's where the sun is hitting all day and you can feel the heat inside.

My idea;

Im thinking about setting up a sprinkler to spray on the bricks during the latter part of day when it's the hottest. Thinking the water can help cool the bricks off and reduce the heat transfer to inside.

Does anyone think this would be  effective?

I don't pay for water usage so that's not an issue.

My immediate thought was that the water bill would make up for whatever you save, then I read the rest.  I say go for it and report back.  Or, plant some trees.

I would start earlier- it's a lot easier to keep something cool than it is to cool it off. 

Should work.  If you are in a humid area, less so.  I would be a bit worried about what (potential) damage the water would do (may not be an issue for you). 

Since most house paint is now water based, exposure to water can be less than ideal.  I know, by far, the most damage that has been done to my house is from the sprinklers (it does take years though), not the sun or rain.

As stated, keeping the sun from hitting it in the first place would be ideal.

aircooled said:

Should work.  If you are in a humid area, less so.  I would be a bit worried about what (potential) damage the water would do (may not be an issue for you). 

Since most house paint is now water based, exposure to water can be less than ideal.  I know, by far, the most damage that has been done to my house is from the sprinklers (it does take years though), not the sun or rain.

As stated, keeping the sun from hitting it in the first place would be ideal.

If it's texas and brick, I'd be willing to bet it isn't painted .

Not paying for water shouldn't be an excuse for wasting it, especially in a place like Texas. 
 

it will take time, but what about planting bushes, small trees etc as a shade wall for the house?  Paint the brick white or off white, a reflective color rather than dark which adsorbs heat. 

Warehouses sometimes run sprinklers on the top of dry vans so the guys loading them in the hot sun do not cook. But I suspect the heat is coming through windows glass more than brick, if there are windows on that side. Investing in an awning would probably help a lot more.

Anchor some lattice to the brick and plant some kind of vine or ivy on the offending wall. Water that. Grow grapes, build wine. I don't see how this is anything other than an opportunity, and I don't even drink. 

Yes, this would work. It's actually a method used in some hot and less developed parts of the world. 

It'll help.  Dunno how much.

Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter) said:

Not paying for water shouldn't be an excuse for wasting it, especially in a place like Texas. 

The constantly running A/C should generate a lot of water.  If that water isn't used to cool the condenser or after it is used to cool the condenser, it could be misted onto the front of the house.

Shade would be my suggestion though.  Ideally an overhang so its still sun-exposed during the winter months to help keep the house warm.

Paint the brick white?

When I was a kid the auto local parts store in our small town would plop one of those faning sprinklers on the roof every summer because they had no a/c. Always funny to see driving up that hill a sprinkler on a roof, but it must've worked because they did it for years!

Aaron_King said:

Paint the brick white?

Or just go full reflective and face your house in stainless steel!

In reply to Brett_Murphy (Forum Patrón) :

But space it out so there is an aig gap.

I believe in the "feeling the heat come though the wall" part of this. Before I had the vinyl siding/insulation put on my poured concrete house you could feel the heat move though the walls with a bit of a delay for heat soak. Keeping direct sun off of it makes all the difference in the world. You need shade. 

In reply to Brett_Murphy :

Aluminum foil in the windows?  

mazdeuce - Seth said:

Keeping direct sun off of it makes all the difference in the world. You need shade. 

 

Yep. Trees, a man-made canopy, or some type of lattice/shutter that doesn't actually touch the house. I like the lattice/vines idea

Sounds like you need an ablative layer of project cars to park in front of the hoise.