Real Benefits of Using Solar Powered Attic Fans

Solar Attic Fan with 25-year Warranty!

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Retail Price: $449.00

Amazon Price: $299.00

How many of you here have attics at home? If you have an attic and you are eager on using renewable energy as much as possible, then you must be interested to look into buying an attic fan or vent. How about the benefits? Besides being environmental friendly, one of the super benefits of using solar power is that the energy is taken from the sun's power so this cancel out the need for any wiring. It also saves you a lot of money for any electrical work you have done can end up being quite expensive if you have a professional to do the work. Plus the fact that working in an attic or on top of your roof can be pretty uncomfortable, not to mention danger and accident it may cause.

Sounds interesting right? So why do you need a solar attic fan or vent?

The answer is here; actually some attics can encounter problems such as in moisture so using a fan can really help with this. The solar powered attic fan will automatically work because the energy is from the sun so in effect, there is very little effort and skill required to install it. At the same time, solar powered attic fans just need very little attention in the way of maintenance because they are very simple units with no overly and technical complex parts. Basements are not the only room in the home prone to moisture and damp problems. Attics can also be a source of unwanted excess moisture. If left unattended you can end up with awful mold and damp problems which can have a very bad affect on your home's structure not to mention your health.

Real Benefits of Using Solar Powered Attic Fans

Most probably you should already know that hot air rises, during a hot or humid day, the heat gathers in your home and then rises up to your attic. Since the heat was blocked and has nowhere to go it is ensnared in your attic making it a super hot place indeed. In is in here where the heat combined with damp provides the ideal breeding ground for mold for the reason that they love warm, damp conditions. Do you know that the mold will also nourish on organic materials like wood which is definitely not interesting part or problem of your perfect home. Using the solar powered attic fans will totally eliminate future problems. Another instance was even if you live somewhere that enjoys a temperate climate, you will find that there are usually at least a few days of the year where there is a heat wave. If you have air conditioning installed, you may actually find it just about manageable however if you don't you will feel that you are melting like a candle. It is in here where using air conditioning units and cooling fans can cost a lot of money on electricity, maintenance, effort in cleaning the unit, and with energy costs going up all the time, finding other alternatives of power such as solar powered attic fans can be very rewarding and satisfying.

Do you know that attics can be the hottest part of the house particularly if it's not well insulated? In hot summer months you can feel as if you've just paced into a burning furnace. It is in here where one of the best ways to battle this problem is to have a solar powered attic fan that can take warm air in your attic outside. So, you want to stay cool, at the same time can help you save money, plus be an environment advocate? Try the solar powered attic fans.

Important Information for a Solar Attic Exhaust Fan Installation

Solar Powered Attic Fan - 10 Watt Gable Exhaust Vent - Natural Light

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Retail Price: Varies based on product options

Amazon Price: $299.00

For the installation of a solar attic exhaust fan, you have two options. First, you could hire a professional contractor to handle the job or two you could complete the installation yourself. Today, fans used for attic ventilation are much easier to install so the number of people taking this task on as a DIY project has increased dramatically. To be successful in getting the fan installed properly so it helps cool the hot attic, we have provided some helpful tips.

For starters, you need to measure the attic space that would need a vent system to ensure the appropriate fan is purchased. For this, determine the width of the attic floor, which would then be multiplied by the length of the floor. Then, that number would be multiplied by the number seven, giving you the amount of cubic feet per minute needed, or CFM (the amount of air pushed by the fan). Once you know this number, you want to choose a ventilation fan that exceeds it by 20.

You would also need to determine the size for the intake air louver. For this, multiply the CFM number for the fan by 144. That number would then be divided by 300. Typically, ridge or soffit vent systems exceed this amount in most homes but if you find that your house does not, it would be important to install an intake air vent for the opposite gable. The result would be with this on the exterior wall within the attic but below the roof, the attic fan would be more efficient.

Important Information for a Solar Attic Exhaust Fan Installation

The mounting flange would need to be measured on the inside. The easiest method would be to use a flexible tape measure so you end up with an accurate number. This piece of equipment is designed to encase the sleeve of the fan, the metal housing in which the fan resides, and it helps connect the gable framing. Keep in mind that some ventilation fans are designed without a sleeve. In this case, cross member bars are used to connect to the framing. For the direction of airflow, this would be stamped directly onto the sleeve or motor, pointing in the direction of the mounting flange.

Another part of the installation process for the solar attic exhaust fan is measuring the distance between the gable wall studs in the attic. Using these measurements, a 2×4 wood board would be cut and then nailed to the wall studs to create the opening for framing. You would also be required to measure the distance between top and bottom framing at the opening for the sides of the fan. All of these measures show the need for accuracy for installation of attic ventilation and when done right, the job would be completed quickly and accurately.

Summer is finally here and you know what that means, crank up that air conditioner! Although most people do not like to spend the summer hot, sweaty, and uncomfortable, many will suffer through it as long as they can to avoid turning on the air conditioner. But no longer do you need to endure the summer heat to keep your electric bills down. Whole house attic fans can cool your entire house for less than a quarter a day.

What Are Whole House Attic Fans

Whole house attic fans are large fans that sit on the floor of your attic and draw outside air into the house from open windows to create a breeze through the house, right to the fan. The hot air is pulled into the attic and then pushed outside through the attic vents. This can quickly help reduce the temperature in the house up to 10°.

The air that is pulled into the attic is pulled through a shutter that sits in a framed hole in your ceiling right below the attic fan.

The shutter will automatically open when the fan is turned on so the air can flow through, and close to keep the hot attic air from entering in to the house when it is turned off.

Benefits of the Whole House Attic Fan

Besides the benefit of being able to cool down your house and enjoy the summer once again, whole house attic fans can save you money because they use less energy than regular air conditioners do. Even if you decide to use your air conditioner during those extremely hot days or heat waves, you can still save you up to 30% on the cooling costs; which can really add up.

Another benefit of these fans is that by running the fan during the day, the heat that would normally be soaked into the walls and other spaces is now being sucked out through the attic.

This means that the heat in the walls will no longer be giving off heat and keeping the temperature inside the house higher than it is outside. This means no longer will you need to go outside in the summer to cool off.

Replace An Attic Exhaust fan

Attic Breeze 25 Watt Attached High Efficiency Solar Attic Fan In Brown Painted Finish

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Retail Price: Varies based on product options

Amazon Price: $656.36

Article by Bill Eller

Most homes have at least one exhaust fan in the attic. Depending on the size and shape of the attic, the attic may have 2 or 3 exhaust fans. Since the attic is usually hot in the summer months – sometimes reaching as much as 130 degrees F – the exhaust fans will often have bearing failure. The bearings are usually of the sealed type and can not be lubricated. Most of the time it is cheaper to replace the exhaust fan than try to repair them. Some exhaust fans have a thermostat that can fail but you may not find the correct thermostat and it is still easier to just replace the complete exhaust fan.

Replace An Attic Exhaust fan

The tools required to replace the exhaust fan are: flashlight, wire strippers, needle nose pliers, screw drivers and nut drivers. See tool list

When going into the attic, be very careful to step on the ceiling joist and not between or you can be hurt or at least damage the ceiling sheet rock.

To replace the exhaust fan, first verify that the power is turned off. You can turn the breaker off or if the breaker is not marked, using a multimeter, verify the voltage is off by shutting the breakers off one at a time and reading the voltage at the exhaust fan connections. ( They are usually connected with wire nuts that you can carefully remove to check the voltage. After the power is turned off and verified disconnect the wires from the exhaust fan. The wires may be physically attached to the exhaust fan by a clamp which can be loosened to pull the wire out of the exhaust fan. Most fan motors have 3 screws holding them to the housing. Remove the mounting screws and pull the exhaust fan out. By doing this you do not have to climb a ladder on outside to remove the exhaust fan. Then reinstall the fan with the mounting screws and reconnect the wires. Turn on voltage and verify that the exhaust fan is working and you are done

For more information on household electrical repairs visit http://householdelectricalrepairs.com/

Solar Powered Attic Fans – The Latest Breakthrough In Utilizing Solar Power

Honeywell 527SHON104BLK 20-Watt Roof Mount Solar Powered Attic Fan

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Retail Price: $349.99

Amazon Price: $265.80

Solar Powered Attic Fans – The Latest Breakthrough In Utilizing Solar Power

Adding Solar Powered Attic Fans is simple and fast and normally takes about half an hour to set up by yourself. This is especially true for photovoltaic lights, solar powered garden lights and solar powered battery chargers.

Putting in solar attic fans irresponsibly possesses the chance of fire or filling your attic with carbon dioxide. Just be certain there's enough consumption openings to circumvent this specific potential threat.

Many suppliers now offer solar powered attic fans to ventilate attics as well as help keep attics cooler. Solar powered fans rely on a small (usually 10- or 20-watt) solar panel to power a DC motor when the sun is shining.

Solar Powered Attic Fans – The Latest Breakthrough In Utilizing Solar Power

The fans, which exhaust air at a rate around 800 to 1200 cfm, are installed with intake vents (including soffit and gable vents) to provide high-capacity powered ventilation without electric running costs.

Most vents are usually mounted high on the roof, at the ridge, and combined with soffit or even gable vents for balanced consumption and exhaust air channels. Solar powered gable ventilators are also available.

There are 2 basic varieties of solar attic fans that can be purchased: the all-in-one model or a solar attic fan kit. Choosing the right style for ones home will depend on several aspects. The size and layout of your dwelling as well as your personal budget will certainly all play a role in identifying which model will be good for you.

Compared to powered vent lovers, there is no need for electrical electrical wiring, and a solar ventilator uses zero electricity (hence avoiding operating cost). Although equipment prices are greater for solar powered attic fans than conventional powered fans (about $200 more), the cost to bring power wiring to the attic to provide a conventional ventilator closes the gap on installed cost.

Solar Powered Attic Fans – The Latest Breakthrough In Utilizing Solar Power

They usually cost you nothing to operate, merely because they use free and numerous solar energy and can help to reduce your time bills. They ventilate the attic in addition to dissipate all that heat, generating everything cooler and cutting down moisture buildup. And that just might help maintain the value of your home, stopping damage.

One of the biggest disadvantage in this device is the fact that solar powered attic fans rely on a strong supply of sunlight to function. On cloudy times they may not work well, if at all, unless you also purchase pv batteries to store strength for those occasions. And of course, this doesn't work at night.

Another thing to consider is cost. Expense is one of the largest reasons people hesitate to get free and clean solar panel technology since it requires a whole lot unique equipment. Solar Powered Attic Fans are no exception. Depending on the measurements your attic you may need various to ventilate the whole space and this cost can add up quickly.

Solar Powered Attic Fans – The Latest Breakthrough In Utilizing Solar Power

Everyday people make the change to solar energy to emerge from using fossil fuels and contaminants, taking small steps at the same time. Some people use solar powered lights to conserve electricity. A few make use of helpful solar generator when electricity does not work out.

Some people go for a full conversion, generating all of their power requirements, while some invest more gently. However you decide to use solar energy, your steps you are taking are helping the planet by reducing squander in landfills, and dwelling a greener lifestyle. The more people that will manage to reduce their negative impact on the environment, the better for all.

Shane Green is a credible writer who is involved in a number of extensive researches about alternative energy source. To learn more about Solar Powered Attic Fans, you can visit his site about Solar Powered.