Do Solar Attic Fans Work

Yes the solar powered attic fans spin at different speeds.

Do solar attic fans work.

Solar powered attic vent fans usually don t move as many cubic feet of air per minute cfm as hardwired fans. That warmed air then circulates through your home forcing your air conditioner to work harder to maintain a constant temperature. This is basically how air naturally moves. Solar attic fans operate using free solar energy a solar attic fan is a simple way to add a motorized venting system to your home without needing any extra electrical wiring or structural changes.

Solar attic fans work by pulling in the cold air from the soffits and pushing out the hot air that has accumulated at the top of the attic. 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. Because most models do not use a battery as a backup power source any drifting clouds that come along will interrupt the operation of this unit. Fresh air is pulled in from your soffits and or roof vent creating a draft through your attic.

Solar attic fans require direct sunlight to operate. 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. Natural light solar attic fans are manufactured using high impact photovoltaic solar panels to power the fan for free all during the day. This air is then exhausted through the fan to the outside.

The single solar powered attic fan i have has not lowered the temperature in my attic at all. A solar attic fan ideally delivers up to 400 cfm of venting power per 1000 sq. The fan will stop spinning immediately once it loses contact with the light. The attic fan just helps the air move more which adds cooler air circulation.

How solar attic fans work. As the sun beats down on your roof it heats the air inside your house starting with your attic. Cold air is at the bottom and warm air is at the top. For the attic fans to work at peak efficiency they need to be on a south facing roof slope if you live in the northern hemisphere.

Attic fan savings claims. If the angle of the sun is lower in the sky morning and late afternoon or the sun s rays are trying to cut through thin clouds or haze the fan spins slower moving less air. If a cloud blocks the sunlight the fans slow or stop. Principal research scientist danny parker of the florida solar energy center has tested solar attic fans and says the gable end models work the best since they move considerably more air than roof mounted mushroom top units you can install pv fans yourself if you have good carpentry skills but it s not necessarily an easy job.

Once the solar powered attic fan is up on the roof the sun works its magic to power the fan. Of attic and expels hot air from the attic quickly replacing it with cooler air from outside.