Attic Fans Worth It

Is a solar attic fan worth the cost.

Attic fans worth it.

Their energy efficiency is already extraordinary. If the attic fan keeps the house cool enough so that the owners leave the ac off there is almost certainly an energy benefit. So is it truly worth it to add a solar attic fan on an older home. Attic insulation that is less than r 19.

The fan blades spin but they don t lower the attic. Attic fans exhaust hot air from your attic to the outside. If there isn t enough venting in the attic for the attic fan to pull air from it will start pulling air from the home s interior through the wall cavities and drywall ceilings. An attic fan will perform best when the property is sealed and insulated to prevent energy loss and the entry of heated and moist air.

Or is it better to abide by proven methods of insulating a home and increasing attic ventilation through soffits ridge vents or offset ridge vents. This is a solar panel supplying free electricity to the attic fan under the silver dome on the rear roof. This was observed on numerous days following the installation. It may be starting to sound like attic ventilation fans aren t worth the hassle and could cause more problems than they solve.

The attic fans needs to have a minimum amount of makeup air or intake air which is the vent area that the attic fan pulls air from. Attic fans are not recommended if you have central air conditioning because when you turn the fan on in the summer it depressurizes the attic but also reaches down into your house and starts drawing off air conditioned air effectively driving up your cooling costs. Instead of installing a fan just make sure your attic is well ventilated. During workdays would leave air conditioner off when leaving in the morning.

The attic fan is controlled by its own thermostat that automatically turns it on and off when needed. However there are certain circumstances where they can prove useful. Of course if the attic fan isn t working correctly and is running all year long that would be a significant problem. Solar attic fans are not needed in brand new construction homes.

An attic fan can be mounted directly on your roof or mounted to a gable on your roof. These fans are designed to remove excess heat from your attic which in theory is supposed to lessen the load on the air conditioning in your home. The attic fan kept my house cooler by 8f compared to pre fan installation days. Attic ventilation fans could be effective if your home has.

After attic fan installation ac still off during day. An attic fan is installed on the slanted side of your roof or on one of the gable sides of your attic. Find out whether it is economical to run an attic fan. Temp 92 f at 5pm.