Posts Tagged ‘Winter And Spring’

Solar Attic Fans – DIY Renewable Energy You Can Afford!

I hear all too often that people are hesitating to move towards renewable energy because of costs. There are a number of small changes you can make that are not expensive that will make a huge change in your home’s overall efficiency and comfort. A solar attic fan is one of the easiest and most effective renewable energy investments you can make in your home.

Why would you use a solar attic fan?

Well, many people already use exhaust fans in their peaked attics or crawl space. The air in these spaces becomes very hot, and by conduction, that heat passes through to the rooms below. This can increase the need for air conditioning and other energy using cooling methods or just make your house hotter during the summer which is uncomfortable. By exhausting the hot air, you reduce conduction and keep your home cooler consequently reducing power consumption in cooling.

In the fall, winter and spring, solar attic fans can also improve ventilation and reduce moisture in the air of your attic which protects anything you have up there as well as your insulation which will be far more effective when dry and well ventilated. Normal attic fans are wired into the AC power of your home while solar attic fans take their power from the very sun that is heating your attic air. If you already have a traditional attic fan in your home, a solar attic fan is an easy investment that will save you money in the long run and set a great example to others in your community.

Depending on your roof configuration, you’ll be able to find a solar attic fan that will meet your need. Some units are self contained and have the fan and the solar panel in the same unit and must be roof mounted while others are designed for separate installation – meaning the solar panel can be mounted in one location and the fan can be mounted in another.

Solar attic fans are absolutely feasible for most DIY enthusiasts. There are several things you need to take into consideration before choosing the solar attic fan for you.

If your roof peaked or flat?
Is your home oriented properly for solar exposure?
Do you have non-shaded area for the solar panel mount?
Do you have a proper air intake to offset the air being blow out (you don’t want a vacuum)?

Solar attic fans run in cost from $300 to $600. If you have someone handy in your home, they can probably complete the entire installation – in face this is a great starter project for renewable energy enthusiasts. You can also have solar attic fans installed by a professional contractor, roofer or handyman if you are so inclined. So if you’re looking for a quick, inexpensive and fairly easy way to make your home more efficient for the summer time, then consider a solar attic fan! Your home will be cooler, your attic will be dryer and more comfortable and you won’t be using any electricity to make it happen!

Blair Stephens is a copywriter and renewable energy enthusiast.

Solar Attic Fans – DIY Renewable Energy You Can Afford!

I hear all too often that people are hesitating to move towards renewable energy because of costs. There are a number of small changes you can make that are not expensive that will make a huge change in your home’s overall efficiency and comfort. A solar attic fan is one of the easiest and most effective renewable energy investments you can make in your home.

Why would you use a solar attic fan?

Well, many people already use exhaust fans in their peaked attics or crawl space. The air in these spaces becomes very hot, and by conduction, that heat passes through to the rooms below. This can increase the need for air conditioning and other energy using cooling methods or just make your house hotter during the summer which is uncomfortable. By exhausting the hot air, you reduce conduction and keep your home cooler consequently reducing power consumption in cooling.

In the fall, winter and spring, solar attic fans can also improve ventilation and reduce moisture in the air of your attic which protects anything you have up there as well as your insulation which will be far more effective when dry and well ventilated. Normal attic fans are wired into the AC power of your home while solar attic fans take their power from the very sun that is heating your attic air. If you already have a traditional attic fan in your home, a solar attic fan is an easy investment that will save you money in the long run and set a great example to others in your community.

Depending on your roof configuration, you’ll be able to find a solar attic fan that will meet your need. Some units are self contained and have the fan and the solar panel in the same unit and must be roof mounted while others are designed for separate installation – meaning the solar panel can be mounted in one location and the fan can be mounted in another.

Solar attic fans are absolutely feasible for most DIY enthusiasts. There are several things you need to take into consideration before choosing the solar attic fan for you.

If your roof peaked or flat?
Is your home oriented properly for solar exposure?
Do you have non-shaded area for the solar panel mount?
Do you have a proper air intake to offset the air being blow out (you don’t want a vacuum)?

Solar attic fans run in cost from $300 to $600. If you have someone handy in your home, they can probably complete the entire installation – in face this is a great starter project for renewable energy enthusiasts. You can also have solar attic fans installed by a professional contractor, roofer or handyman if you are so inclined. So if you’re looking for a quick, inexpensive and fairly easy way to make your home more efficient for the summer time, then consider a solar attic fan! Your home will be cooler, your attic will be dryer and more comfortable and you won’t be using any electricity to make it happen!

Blair Stephens is a copywriter and renewable energy enthusiast.

Solar Attic Fans – DIY Renewable Energy You Can Afford!