Do Solar Attic Fans Really Work

Attic ventilation fans whether hard wired or powered by their own solar panels seem like a low cost and effective way to help keep your house cool.

Do solar attic fans really work.

To determine the number of cubic feet per minute needed for a power vent fan multiply the number of square feet in your attic by 0 7. If you have an upstairs bonus room or bedroom that gets uncomfortably hot in summer consider adding a solar powered fan to your attic. Ideally this will lower the high temperatures that have built up in your attic. If the angle of the sun is lower in the sky morning and late afternoon or the sun s rays are trying to cut through thin clouds or haze the fan spins slower moving less air.

Good attic ventilation is excellent for preventing moisture and condensation but it is usually not enough for cooling in the summertime. Attic fans exhaust hot air from your attic to the outside. Yes the solar powered attic fans spin at different speeds. If a cloud blocks the sunlight the fans slow or stop.

Brand name deleted by editor solar attic fans are no. This air is then exhausted through the fan to the outside. When you compare the capital expense of this product to the ongoing bills you would pay to operate the unit you ll come out ahead every time. Solar powered attic vent fans usually don t move as many cubic feet of air per minute cfm as hardwired fans.

This reduces the amount of work your hvac system has to do to cool your upstairs living area. For the attic fans to work at peak efficiency they need to be on a south facing roof slope if you live in the northern hemisphere. Yes during the summer you should run the attic cooling fan. But they re much easier to install since no wiring is needed.

Watch this video to find out more. In summer the heat energy from the sun is absorbed and conducted to the attic. The most significant benefit of solar attic fans is that they operate using renewable energy from the sun instead of being hooked up to your electrical grid. 1 by builders and are the highest attribute made in the usa.

However the utility of attic ventilation fans is actually quite a controversial topic. With more concentration of heat in the attic it can be conducted to the living space creating an uncomfortable environment. A retrofit example that works. Fresh air is pulled in from your soffits and or roof vent creating a draft through your attic.

Solar or pv fans run on sun power and pull superheated air out of your attic to be replaced by cooler outside air. Good insulation reduces fan effectiveness. Website link deleted by editor.