Do Solar Attic Fans Work Well

When is the best time to install the fan.

Do solar attic fans work well.

Manufacturers of attic fans as well as hvac companies will tell you otherwise. Solar powered attic vent fans usually don t move as many cubic feet of air per minute cfm as hardwired fans. Whether or not an attic fan really works is a controversial subject. 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.

Depending on what your utility charges that s about 40 per year. I installed a solar powered attic fan last year to see how well it would work. I had decided to do the work early in the morning while it was cool on the roof. Natural light solar attic fans are manufactured using high impact photovoltaic solar panels to power the fan for free all during the day.

Before considering solar attic fans you will want to think about how much direct sunlight your solar panel will receive each day. Attic fans were majorly adopted before the modern air conditioning units came to existence. However the utility of attic ventilation fans is actually quite a controversial topic. The units are fully operation right out of the box and install in less than an hour.

They assisted a lot in creating a comfortable environment at home. The installation went like clockwork. Even if you install it yourself and take the tax credit it could still take you 15 years or. Hot attics and why traditional exhaust fans don t work well enough to cool them off.

Cloud cover dust and other obstructions are essential to review before you commit to this technology as well. Within an hour after installing it the sun hit the solar panel and the fan blades started to spin. 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. 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.

But they re much easier to install since no wiring is needed. The downside of attic ventilation fans. Danny s tests of solar attic fans showed that in florida where there s abundant solar energy yearly savings from installing two fans in a house with just over 1 000 square feet of air conditioned floor area amounted to only 460 kwh. Last week we had some warm weather for the first time this year.

If a cloud blocks the sunlight the fans slow or stop. Why attic fans don t work well and what to do instead. Although there are a lot of factors to consider before installing it can function well. Here is some information so you can decide whether an attic fan is right for your home.

Energy professionals will tell you that they do more harm than good. A very hot problem. Natural light solar attic fans are available in 4 model sizes to accommodate any attic space 12 24 36 or 60 watts.