Solar attic fans work by using sunlight to power the fan s motor to help prevent any heat or moisture build up in your attic.
Attic heat fans.
Iliving 800 cfm shutter exhaust fan at amazon this fan can easily remove excess heat moisture and odor from any space up to 1 200 square feet.
Much of that heat then conducts downward and finds its way into the house.
Your attic can reach temperatures of up to 150 ºf which can destroy the integrity of your home as well as completely destroy your roof.
This has a knock on effect.
The downside of attic ventilation fans.
Using a fan to blow hot air out of the attic doesn t address the radiant heat flow from the roof to the attic floor.
Your air conditioner doesn t have to work so hard to keep your house cool so it helps reduce your electricity bill.
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.
Good insulation reduces fan effectiveness.
An attic fan can reduce the heat in your roof space by between 40 f and 50 f.
It will help to keep the attic much cooler in the summertime.
But by adding powered attic fans you will draw more air into the attic.
Trying to solve the heat gain problem in your attic by using a fan is like lying out at the beach with a fan blowing over you and thinking you re not.
The thermostat will usually start at 95 degrees fahrenheit which is the temperature that the attic fan usually starts at.
Quietcool smart 2830 cfm power gable mount attic fan at amazon this model is our top pick for its ease of use simple installation and maximum energy efficiency best budget.
Quietcool attic fans work almost everywhere almost anytime.
There was one large flaw with the fan though while the large fan duct was insulated and it had a damper on the end that exhausted to the attic the heat build up in the attic caused heat to flow back into the house and would noticeably warm the house during the day.
Lastly i am curious about the recommendation on your blog to reverse the ceiling fans to decrease the radiant heat transmitted from the attic through the ceiling.
That is a new one on me.
Cheaper fans with plastic components may begin to fail over time under these.
Using insulation only keeps the attic s heat from traveling through your home.
However the utility of attic ventilation fans is actually quite a controversial topic.
During the summer an attic can be 40 to 50 hotter than the outside temperature which in turn heats up the house very quickly.