How does a solar attic fan help reduce energy costs?
Having decided to install an attic fan in your home, the next issue to take up is what type? Do you want to install a standard one that operates on the normal 110volts domestic power supply? Or does using solar powered attic fans make more sense?
What Do Attic Fans Do?
The simple answer to this question is that they blow air out of the house. What is important is what type of air they blow out. Warm humid air rises and cooler air enters to take its place. This means that the warm air rises and collects in the highest part of the house – the attic. If it is allowed to remain there, 2 things will happen. First of all, the heat that collects in the attic will radiate into the rest of the house, making the whole structure warmer and increasing the interior temperature which will, in turn, increase the air conditioning load in summer. Secondly, moisture will collect in the attic leading to increased chances of mold and fungus developing and possible structural damage to the house itself.
In winter, the problem of heat collection does not disappear. Warm air will still rise to the attic and it will carry with it the moisture in the air from the use of showers, humidifiers, dishwashers, etc. This air will condense there. Removing the stale humid air will protect against mold and fungus formation, prevent leaks and structural decay caused by ice buildup on the roof, and will protect framing materials and insulation from moisture-related damage.
It is clear that attic fans are important not only to control the indoor temperature but also to protect the health of the residents and to keep structural damage at bay.
Also Read: Benefits of Solar Attic Fans
What Type of Fan?
The type of fan does not relate to the size, design or type of installation required. These are all variables that will depend on the size of the house and other location-specific factors. For information on these issues, contact the dealer of a reputed attic fan manufacturer for a free consultation where all your questions will be answered.
The key is to decide on the type of fan - whether to go in for an old-fashioned AC fan that runs on the normal 110-volt power supply in your home or to go in for a solar powered attic fan that uses no metered power at all and runs for free? The answer appears to be obvious, but some hesitate to take the decision to buy a solar powered attic fan because they think that there may be quality issues or the purchase price may be high. As for the quality issue, the fact that a company like Solatube, the world leader in daylighting systems and solar powered fans has a range of attic fans to offer, means that quality is a given. Regarding the cost, any possible price differential will be balanced out by the federal tax credit you will be entitled to if you install one in your home.
To have all your questions on attic fan installation, size, quality, price and more answered by experts, contact the Solatube premier dealer near you.
- May 19, 2022