Are Solar Powered Roof Vents Worth It

Understanding The Effects Of Heat And Humidity On Your Home

With 90° plus temperatures and sticky humidity, Florida residents often escape to the inside of their homes and air-conditioned comfort. For those whose homes arent properly insulated, or have no air conditioning, what happens? Well, attics trap solar heat, which then readily transfers to living spaces, forcing those with air conditioning to adjust the thermostat down, which in turn causes utility bills to go up.

Without proper ventilation and air exchange, trapped Florida humidity can damage insulation, deteriorate your roof, cause fungal decay, and delaminate plywood. Attic ventilation in the form of a solar attic fan can help, and since it is powered by the sun, you wont use additional electricity. In result, solar attic fans remove excess heat from your home.

What If We Already Have A Ridge Vent Or Turbines

If your roof already has a ridge vent and you would like to add a solar fan, we would most likely block off the inside of the ridge vent. The vent will still be there aesthetically, but we will block off the air flow so that the solar fan will pull the air in from your soffit vents. Most likely, when adding a solar fan, we look to replace an existing passive vent or roof turbine. We would look to block off any other roof vents within the 10-20 foot range, preventing the cycling of air at the roof level.

If you have any other questions or would like to talk about ways to keep your attic cool this summer, give us a call!

Thanks!

Solar Gain And Building Design

Solar gain can have both positive or negative effects depending on the climate. In the context of passive solar building design, the aim of the designer is normally to maximize solar gain within the building in the winter , and to control it in summer . Thermal mass may be used to even out the fluctuations during the day, and to some extent between days.

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Budget Solar Roof Vents $100 $250 Per Unit

When looking for any solar powered product, be prepared to spend extra for a quality system. Budget solar powered roof vents achieve low prices through poor quality motors and solar panels. Both of these lead to very poor performance, offering little to no benefit over a standard wind vent and often have a warranty no longer than a year. If you have only allowed for this in your budget you should stick to a quality whirly bird.

Why Is My Attic Room So Hot

The laws of thermodynamics dictate that heat naturally rises, which means your attic is the last stop for hot and warm air in your house. Your attic also rests right under your roof, which means on hot summer days the heat is going to radiate through the shingles and collect in your attic, creating a lot of hot air.

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How Long Do Solar Roof Vents Last

Cheaper roof vents will give you about 5 years before they bog you down with repair costs. However, premium units can go up to 15 years with proper maintenance. Seeing as you have put in about $500 in unit purchase alone, you want a solar roof vent that will justify the cost. Some solar roof vents come with a 25-year warranty. Most solar roof vents wont need too much maintenance. However, you dont need the hassle of repairing leaky roofs and faulty fans.

How Helpful Are Solar Attic Fans

Asphalt shingles are constructed to withstand the abuse of the sunrays for decades, but they are subjected to higher temperatures when the roof decking is allowed to overheat. The solar attic fan will definitely extend the life of your roof shingles and prevent it from damaging. During colder months, solar attic fan removes the moist warm air that is produced using heaters. This hot moist air can rot the underside of the roof sheathing. The hot moist air helps mould and mildew to grow on the interior walls of your attic. Cold air in your attic will not affect the temperature in your adjacent living rooms if properly insulated. Even if you use vapour barriers to keep moisture from entering your attic, there are air leaks around the ceiling light fixtures and bathroom exhaust fan, that allows unwanted moisture into the attic. The sign of the moisture is rusty roof nails sticking through the roof deck.

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Window Solar Gain Properties

Solar gain is most frequently addressed in the design and selection of windows and doors. Because of this, the most common metrics for quantifying solar gain are used as a standard way of reporting the thermal properties of window assemblies. In the United States, The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers and The National Fenestration Rating Council maintain standards for the calculation and measurement of these values.

Advantages Of Using Solar Powered Energy

Most of the modern environmentalists, naturalists and scientists predict that we may run out of non-renewable energy sources, in the coming decades. Future generations of the human race may suffer and maybe in a helpless, miserable state. Most of our power comes from fossil fuels: burning coal, oil and natural gas. We are depending upon fossil fuels that have a finite supply, that is not being replenished as we use them. We will eventually run out of them. The alternative energy sources are burning wood and whale blubber. But this alternative use causes numerous other harms to the environment like, deforestation, which causes serious global warming, which eventually leads to melting of the glaciers and rises in the sea level, which leads to constant flooding and the result is soil erosion. Deforestation deprives the wildlife of their natural habitat, resulting in the extinction of millions of species. Hence, the whole ecosystem suffers imbalance. As long as our use is less than or equal to the rate of replenishment, the renewable energy source will continue to exist indefinitely. Population explosion is yet another reason why we cant depend upon renewable energy sources either. Daily growth in the demand causes the shortage of their supply. The one and the only solution to a whole headache is the solar energy.

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The Environmentally Friendly Way To Cool And Protect Your Attic And Roof

General Specifications for Models “SunRise 850, 1050, 1250 and 1650”

The SunRise is a unique, solar-powered vent fan that pulls the heat right out of your attic. It’s so effective it can lower attic temperatures by as much as 50°! It is a great compliment to Energy Attic Aluminum Foil flushing the heat from the aluminum with the air movement created by the fan.

This means less heat dissipating back into your living area, less drain on your air conditioning system, and less cost to you. In fact, up to 30% less money spent on air conditioning costs alone!

In the wintertime, the SunRise helps equalize the temperature between the attic inside and the outside air. This dramatically reduces the risk of ice dams forming at the eaves a feature that could save you thousands.

Reduces moisture build-up and prolongs the life of your roof. Even in newer homes that use vapor barriers, moisture can still sneak into the attic and condense on framing boards, roof decking, and insulation.

The problem may be even worse in older homes that have settled and developed cracks or air leaks around bathroom exhaust fans or light fixtures.

SunRise forcibly expels this warm, moist air, helping prevent the growth of mold and mildew, and significantly reducing the chance of rotting the roofing materials.

Just one SunRise Solar Fan is powerful enough to protect an entire home

Consider The Venting Capacity And Wattage

Based on your attics square footage and the size of your house, you should consider the venting capacity and wattage of the solar attic fan that you buy. To clarify, the venting capacity is the cubic feet of air moved by the fan per minute, displayed as the CFM of the fan.

For effective ventilation, the CFM of your solar attic fan should be at least 70% of your attic size.

The wattageof a solar attic ventilator refers to the amount of power that the solar panel can generate, when it receives full, direct sunlight. So, a higher Watt solar panel can generate more electricity, hence providing more power to the attic fan.

If you have a large attic, you may need to add multiple fans for proper ventilation as well. If youre unsure, we recommend consulting with an energy advisor to get your home tested for optimal ventilation and cooling.

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Do Solar Roof Vents Work At Night

A solar roof vent wont work at night. Solar roof vents work under a simple premise. Is the sun out? If the suns out, thesolar roof vent is working. Is there cloud coverage? If the clouds are obstructing the sun, the solar roof vent wont work.Heres a quick rundown of how solar roof vents work:

Most homes have attics. Attics are the first accumulation point of hot air when temperatures rise. Once the temperatures get past the roof, the heat settles in the attic and circulates around the house.

Heat build-up is not just felt during hot months. Theres a reverse effect during winter, too. The hot air melts snow on the roof, converts snow to ice sheets, and plunges interior temperatures further. The result is an overworked temperature management system and escalating energy bills.

Solar vents are made to mitigate the effects of hot air and circulate that air, so your home maintains a normal interior temperature.

Your home has to have installed passive vents. However, these passive vents do not have the pressure to push hot air out of the attic to allow proper air balance. Therefore, a solar roof vent sucks hot air from outside, powers the fan, and creates the pressure that will make the air circulate. The balanced air is then pushed out through the vent.

Look For Special Features That Excite You

While a solar attic fan isnt the most extravagant purchase you could make, we think you should consider the features that excite you the most before spending your hard-earned money. After all, its about making your life easier and more comfortable. Features to consider include:

Thermostat

While many solar attic fans come with a built-in or available thermostat, others dont. Some also have an optional snap-on thermostat.

Like the thermostats we have in our homes, an attic fans thermostat circulates air when it senses the temperature has risen above a certain level. This is particularly useful during winters, to avoid the fan from running constantly.

Humidistat

Perfect for mitigating moisture build-up, which is especially prevalent during the winter months. It uses a built-in sensor that gauges the humidity level, providing adequate ventilation to prevent mildew growth. Heres an extract from Lennox about the effects of humidity .

Low humidity levels make indoor air feel colder than it really is, while excessive humidity levels make it feel warmer than it really is.

Humidistats are one of our favorite features because they can also help to extend your roofs lifespan.

Hybrid Functionality

Durability

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You Dont Need An Electrician To Install Solar Vents

Solar vents come as a fully assembled functional unit. All you would need is to know the layout of your attic so you can avoid compromising any support beams. Dont get it wrong, though. Be prepared to put in work as you cut through the roof.

Your toolbelt will come in handy to secure the vent after you install it. Precision matters. You dont want any holes left during and after installation. The hole you cut through the roof should be large enough to effortlessly fit the vent and not leave spaces where rainwater can seep through.

However, if you cannot DIY the installation, a qualified professional will be a worthwhile investment.

May Increase Energy Costs

There have been studies performed that argue that attic fans do not decrease the energy usage of a homes HVAC system.

The authors stipulate that the energy required to run the attic vent fan offsets any gains by increasing attic ventilation as a result of the fan. In addition, the thermostatic attic fan may be pulling conditioned air from the homes interior, thereby decreasing even further any energy gains as mentioned by the U.S. Energy Department.

Also, factoring the cost of the attic ventilation fan , it may take in excess of 30 years to regain the costs through increased energy efficiency because of increased attic ventilation.

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Do Solar Attic Fans Work Well

Installation of a solar fan in an attic can provide better circulation. Its really more about comfort, says Danny. Solar powered fans can make a real difference if you regularly use the space adjacent to your attic. I also use a gable-end fan above my garage that makes the space noticeably cooler.

Whats The Actual Cost Of A Solar Vent

A quick browse through e-commerce stores such as Amazon will give you a list of well-rated solar vents that cost up to $280. The average cost, according to HomeAdvisor, can vary up to $500 for a pricey unit.

Surprisingly, solar vents are not too capital intensive. The fact that you can DIY the installation could further reduce your costs.

There might be instances where an electrician and a roofer will make part of the expenses. You might need the electrician to wire devices to your solar-powered vent, so you harness the sun to run your household electronics.

You will also need a roofer to make sure your roof is cut professionally and sealed well afterward.

An electricians hourly fee ranges from between $60 and $85. Professional roofers charge up to $75 an hour. If you have a carpenter in the work team, costs increase by another $70 per hour. Installation of the solar unit takes approximately two hours. So, youre looking at a total labor cost of up $500.

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Wind Vents Can Range From $80 $350 Per Unit

The average air volume is tested at approximately 80-100m3 per hour which is relatively inefficient. Often these products will have similar performance to a static cap. They have been popular in the Australian market as they are cheap to give away with insulation and roofing packages.

The main pricing differences with wind vents, is all about quality.

What should you look for:

• Do they include a fan blade? this will absolutely help improve air extraction
• Whats the diameter of the product for domestic homes, ranges are from 250-350mm diameter
• Warranty life or the bearings is the biggest issue with wind vents. You can see many low- quality wind vents with seized or noisy bearings on Australian homes

What Are Solar Roof Vents And Why Do I Need Them

A home energy system equipped with solar roof vents can cut energy costs by 30 percent.

These economical, environmentally-friendly devices are a smart way to keep attic temperatures from becoming too extreme. They are solar-powered and get the job done year-round.

What is the secret? Solar roof vents are an energy-efficient way to solve home energy challenges. A solar vent allows for hassle-free attic venting. But what are they? How do they work? And why should you have them on your roof?

This article will discuss what solar roof vents are, why they are important, how solar roof vents work, and everything else homeowners should know about solar roof vents.

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Do Solar Powered Attic Vent Fans Really Work

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Its important that you have plenty of ventilation in your attic to remove hot air in the summer and prevent condensation and moisture problems in the winter. In addition to soffit, gable, and/or ridge vents, you may want to add a power vent fan to your attic to increase air circulation.

Solar powered attic vent fans usually dont move as many cubic feet of air per minute as hardwired fans but theyre much easier to install, since no wiring is needed. To determine the number of cubic feet per minute needed for a power vent fan, multiply the number of square feet in your attic by 0.7.

Watch this video to find out more.

How We Chose The Attic Fans

I wanted to make sure I was only recommending the best options for solar powered attic fans, so I dug around for several hours looking into solar attic fan review comparisons before investigating them myself. I found dozens of reviews by everyone from professionals who use solar power for everything, and homeowners who are just getting into solar power.

I came up with a list of about 25 options that loads of people recommended and had at least 3.5 stars above average and had to narrow down from there. Knocking out any that didnt stand out from the crowd, I was down to about 15 at this point.

From that list of fifteen, I eliminated any that didnt meet all my standards, including prohibitive price or difficult installations. Then, I looked into them for myself.

After all that, heres my list of the six best solar powered attic fans.

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What Is A Solar Attic Fan And Who This Is For

Aside from reading a solar attic fan reviews comparison, you should know what the attic fan is and if it is for you. Learn more in the following.

A solar attic fan is a simple and efficient way of adding a ventilation system in your home. With this, you get to prevent moisture build-up and thus, protect and maintain your home. Also, the solar attic fan can help you save up on electrical bills.

In summer, temperatures can reach up to 160 degrees Fahrenheit or above. This warm air then permeates around your home, overworking your air conditioner. This results into higher electricity bills. The solar attic fan provides the solution.

The solar attic fan basically acts like an air exchanger. Its equipped with fans that pull in warm air from your attics and exchanges it with cooler air from the outside. Since air inside is now cooler, your AC doesnt have to be running that much.

Moreover, solar attic fans run on solar energy. That is, the fans spin faster and become more effective as it is exposed to more sunlight.

Solar attic fans are also useful during winters, according to solar powered attic fan reviews. Houses during winter usually produce warm air. Thus, it creates moisture when it meets with the cold underside of the roof. Moisture build-ups can result into molds and other damages into your home.

There is a variety of solar attic fans available in the market. Most solar attic fans can be installed and mounted on roofs, gables and curbs.