TECH TIP # 41

One of a series of dealer contractor

How to Calculate Air Temperatures in Unconditioned Spaces

Frequently it may be necessary to know the air temperature of an unheated area, say of an
attic space in a residence or of a storage room in an apartment. We may, for example,
need to know the approximate temperature in these areas to appraise whether pipes would
freeze, or perhaps to more precisely estimate heat losses through wall partitions
separating conditioned rooms from these unconditioned areas. Whatever the reason, the
problem of estimating air temperatures need not be a source of concern nor left to a mere
guess. There is available a simple procedure to calculate air temperatures in
unconditioned spaces.

Heat Flow In Equals Heat Flow Out

Much like the old adage, What goes up must come down (obviously a saying predating
satellites), in steady state heat flow, what heat flows into a room must flow out. If this
does not occur, the space temperature would rise or fall as it would be storing or losing
heat.

Lets consider the east room shown in Figure 1 as being an unconditioned area. Further,
assume there are heated rooms above and adjacent to this room. Neglecting any heat
flow into the ground (or basement) heat is flowing into this room from above, through the
floor (Ha), and through two walls Hb and Hc. At the same time, heat is flowing out of the
room through the north (Hn) south (Hs), and east (He) walls. Equating all these terms
together, we have:
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Heat flow in = Heat flow out

Ha + Hb + Hc = Hn + Hs + He

But heat flow from each of the unconditioned rooms, in turn, is equal to the appropriate U
value times the area of the wall, floor, door or glass section in question, times the
temperature difference across the wall. For example, the heat flow from the floor above
is equal to:

Ha = UaAa(Ti-Tu)

where

Ha = heat flow in, from room above

Ua = heat transfer coefficient for floor

Aa = area of floor

Ti = air temperature in conditioned space

Tu = air temperature in unconditioned space

and for the south wall of the unconditioned space.

Hs = UwAw(Tu-To) + UgAg(Tu-To)

Hs = heat flow out, from south wall

Uw = wall heat transfer coefficient

Aw = net wall area

Ug = glass heat transfer coefficient

Ag = glass area

Tu = air temperature of unconditioned space

To = outdoor design temperature

Now, if we substitute all factors into our Heat in = Heat out equation we find that:

Ti - Tu = Sum of all U x As for Exposed Surfaces

Tu - To = Sum of all U x As for Common Partitions

2
All the terms in the above equation are known except Tu - which is what we want to
determine.

Example Reveals Simplicity

Lets assume some temperatures, areas and U values for the rooms shown in Figure 1 to
illustrate exactly how to calculate the unconditioned rooms air temperature.

First of all, lets assume Ti, the inside design temperature, is 75 F, and To, the outside
design temperature, is 0 F. Next common partition areas are: floor area above is 360
square feet, and wall areas are 96 square feet each. Unconditioned room exposed surface
areas are: north wall 120 sq. ft. south wall (net) 70 sq. ft., south glass 50 sq. ft., east wall
(net) 132 sq. ft., east glass 60 sq. ft. U value for common partitions is 0.3 Btuh/sq. ft.
degree F. U value for exposed walls is 0.1 Btuh/sq. ft. degree F. U value for glass is 0.6
Btuh/sq. ft. degree F.

Substituting in our equation we have:

75 - Tu = 0.1(120 + 70 + 132) + 0.6(50 +60)

Tu - 0 0.3(360 + 96 + 96)

Solving, we find that Tu = 48 F

Note: the air temperature in the unconditioned space will be the mean between the inside
and outside air temperatures only when the common partitions and exposed surfaces of
the unconditioned space are nearly the same in area and have nearly similar U values.)

Procedure Has Limitations

For unheated spaces containing exceptionally large glass areas with multiple exposures,
and also spaces which might experience exceptionally large in-leakage of outdoor air, it
is best to assume that the unconditioned space temperature will approximate the outdoor
temperature.