Adding a solar-powered fan to your attic is a simple, affordable home improvement that pays for itself over time through lower utility bills. Additionally, these fans can dramatically increase how much you enjoy the rooms adjacent to your attic that become uncomfortably warm during the summer months. Powered by the sun, these fans pull hot air out of your attic so that it can be replaced by cooler outside air. Your HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard as a result. There’s no cost to operate the fan, because the sun provides the energy. An added bonus is that solar attic fans typically qualify for a 30% federal tax credit.

When the sun is shining during the summer months, the temperature of your roofing materials can easily soar to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Regardless of the amount of insulation you have, the air in your attic can then quickly reach temps of 150 degrees or more as well. Proper ventilation can reduce your attic’s temperature by 40+ degrees and is essential to maintaining a healthy and energy efficient home. As well as increasing the comfort of your home, a solar-powered fan can extend the life of your roof itself by reducing the damaging effects of heat on your roofing materials.

Before installation, the team at James Taylor Construction Services, Inc. (JTC) makes sure that your home receives enough sunlight to power the fan adequately. We take many factors into account when determining the amount of ventilation your attic needs and install the solar-powered fan of the most appropriate size based on the volume of your attic in cubic feet. It’s also essential to make sure that there is an adequate air inlet area (typically in the form of soffit vents) to allow fresh, cooler air to replace the hot air being exhausted by the fan. A solar fan works with these existing passive vents in your roof to improve air circulation. We carefully install flashing around the fan to keep all moisture out.

Speaking of moisture, your solar fan serves the additional purpose of reducing moisture in your home throughout the year, regardless of the need for temperature control. Especially in the winter when all of your windows are closed, the humidity created by cooking, doing laundry, and taking showers may move upward through gaps around ceiling light fixtures and bathroom exhaust fans (especially in older homes). When moisture condenses on the framing and the inside of your roof deck in your attic, it can lead to the growth of mold, mildew, and fungus. Rot can also occur in extreme cases.

A solar fan can help keep your attic cool and dry automatically, without any hands-on operation. Gable-end fan models are typically much more effective than “mushroom” units that are mounted on your roof. Solar-powered fans are designed to provide many years of maintenance-free operation and withstand the harshest weather conditions, from strong winds to rain, snow, and hail. The power source is a series of small solar panels located on exterior cap of the fan. This cap protects the moving components of the fair, for reliable, powerful ventilation in all seasons. Due to specially designed blades, solar fans generate almost no noise.

We look forward to providing you with a FREE estimate on installing a solar-powered fan in your attic.