Solar Attic Fans for your Roof

It is critical that any family that owns a home must be sure that their attic if ventilated correctly, especially since the attic can be oft ignored. The problem is that the attic will easily build up heat and moisture from the hot air in the house rising, and from the sun shining brightly on the roof. These unsafe conditions will do a good job of promoting structural failures in the attic. It will also make the perfect conditions for bacteria and mold to thrive. Both of these consequences can be harmful to your family.

Unfortunately, that is what naturally happens and you cannot stop it outright. Natural occurrences like sun, rain and snow all contribute to the problem. Also, the heat generated from household activity like cooking and heating to stay warm will want to rise to the highest point in the attic. The only thing you can do is minimize the effect as much as possible.

This is where a solar attic fan is useful, as they will ventilate the attic and prevent heat and moisture from building up. Solar attic fans are attached on the roof and direct air from inside the attic outside. The whole process of installing a solar attic fan is quite doable. Assuming you are physically capable, own the proper power tools and not afraid of heights, it is easy to install the small and relatively lightweight solar fan.

The video below is from "This Old House," showing you how to install one.

Pros

• Small units
• Relatively lightweight
• Easy to Install (if you know what you're doing...)
• Relies on solar power (no additional electricity costs)
• Cleaner for the environment

Cons

• Relies on solar power (does not operate when there is no sunlight, like during night or cloudy days)
• Little air flow can be problematic for large attics (you may need more than one)
  

Additional things to consider when purchasing solar attic fans for your house:

• Weight - This is important if installing it yourself. You must be physically able to pick up and hold your attic roof fan to prevent injury while on your roof.
• Solar Panels - There are plenty of fans with the solar panels fixated on the unit. Others come separately so you can install them in a different location than where your fan will be. This is great if the sun shines awkwardly on your roof and you need to specifically position the panels.
• Air Flow - By far, the most crucial factor. The air flow of a fan is gauged with CPM, or Cubic feet Per Minute. The higher the CPM, the better the air flow. If you have a large attic you will need greater CPM. If you get a solar attic fan with poor CPM, you will find it to do very little in venting out your attic.