How Well Do Solar Powered Attic Fans Work

If your attic space is over 1 800 square feet you will need enough solar fans to move 8 000 cfm.

How well do solar powered attic fans work.

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. Attic fans exhaust hot air from your attic to the outside. But they re much easier to install since no wiring is needed. An attic fan is installed on the slanted side of your roof or on one of the gable sides of your attic.

How an attic fan works. Solar attic fan provides air circulation the photovoltaic panel of the solar attic fan collects sunlight that powers. That warmed air then circulates through your home forcing your air conditioner to work harder to maintain a constant temperature. Intense sunlight can create heat faster than one or two small fans can cool an area.

How solar attic fans work as the sun beats down on your roof it heats the air inside your house starting with your attic. You need that amount of air if not more to get any sort of cooling benefit from the fans. These fans are designed to remove excess heat from your attic which in theory is supposed to lessen the load on the air conditioning in your home. Air circulation moves hot air out of attic space.

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.