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Why is attic ventilation important?
Why is crawlspace ventilation important?
Which fan should I choose?
My house has a Spanish tile roof, which fan should I choose?
What is a solar powered attic fan and what does it do?
Does the All Purpose Ventilator only work in the attic?
Why would I want to cool off my attic?
How are ridge vents, turbine vents, or gable vents different from a powered solar attic fan?
What is the purpose of the thermal switch?
What are the cost benefits of installing a solar attic fan?
Does my roof already have ventilation?
Is a solar powered attic fan difficult to install?
Are tax credits available for installing a solar powered attic fan?
My current electric fan is noisy and can be heard from inside the home. Is the solar attic fan noisy?
What is the life expectancy of the solar panel?
Are there differences in solar power attic fans available in the market?
Is a building permit required to install the solar powered attic fan?
Is additional wiring required?
Can the black housing be painted to match the roof shingles?
Can I replace my existing static or turbine vents with the solar attic fan?
Will the solar powered attic fan continue to run after dark?
Can the solar attic fan be used to vent garages?
Why does solar attic fan use a vacuum co-polymer composite housing?
Why is a brush type motor important?
Will the solar attic fan leak?
Why is attic ventilation important?
Heat and moisture are hard on roof shingles and roof decking. In the hot summer months, a poorly ventilated attic will dramatically reduce shingle life and may even void the shingle warranty. In the colder winter months, moisture from everyday activities inside the house can enter the attic. Without proper ventilation, this moisture promotes mold and mildew, saturates insulation, and can freeze on the underside of the decking.
In the summer, heat from your attic migrates into your living area, heats up air in air conditioning ducting, and makes the air conditioner work harder. Heating and air conditioning companies have been recommending the Solar Attic Fans for years.
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Why is crawlspace ventilation important?
A crawl space with poor ventilation can harbor moisture which could lead to mold and mildew buildup. Installing an All Purpose Ventilator in the crawlspace, will increase air circulation, reduce moisture, and inhibit mold and mildew growth, resulting in a "healthier" home.
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Which fan should I choose?
The Solar Powered Attic Fan is the perfect solution for composition roofs, either as a new installation, or as a replacement for and existing turbine, dormer, or eyebrow vent.
Choose the All Purpose Ventilator, for any crawl space applications, or for attics with roofs that are difficult to modify, such as Spanish tile, flat tile, or metal.
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My house has a Spanish tile roof, which fan should I choose?
The All Purpose Ventilator is the ideal solution for Spanish tile roofs. Install it directly behind existing gable or static roof vents, and then adhere the solar panel directly to the tile roof, or mount it on the wall with the included mounting brackets. Additionally, you can purchase the optional Fascia Mount kit to mount the solar panel directly to the fascia board.
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What is a solar powered attic fan and what does it do?
A solar powered attic fan is an attic ventilation fan which runs solely off solar power. These ventilators fall into the category of active (powered) attic ventilation, where outside air is forced through the attic and out the vent to effectively cool the attic space. This method of attic ventilation is many times more effective than passive (natural) ventilation since the air inside the attic is exchanged more times per hour with a powered vent than with passive ventilation (ridge vents, turbine vents, dormer vents and gable vents). In most cases you want to exchange the air 8 – 10 times per hour. See our sizing chart on the side of the box and/or our online calculator.
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Does the All Purpose Ventilator only work in the attic?
While the All Purpose Ventilator is the perfect attic ventilation solution for homes with tile roofs, it can also be used in the crawl space to help remove moisture and reduce mold and mildew. It can also be used garages, sheds, green houses, or anywhere you need to turbocharge and existing static vent.
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Why would I want to cool off my attic?
During the summer, as the sun radiates heat onto your roof, your roof's shingles or tile become very hot. This heat is transferred through the roof and in turn heats up the air inside your attic. If the hot air stays inside your attic, the heat from this air will eventually enter your home.
While attic insulation slows this process, it does not eliminate the transfer of heat entirely. If your attic is not very well insulated, it will do very little to stop the heat from getting through. Additionally, a hot attic stays hot long after the sun goes down, so the process of heat transfer into your home can extend well into the evening.
By removing the hot air from your attic, the process of heat transfer into your home is minimized. The less attic heat that is transferred into your home, the less your air conditioner will need to work. If your air conditioner unit doesn't need to run as much to keep your home cool, you save energy and money.
Attic Temperature can exceed 160°F in the summer. This excessive heat can reduce the life of the shingles and mechanical equipment, and super heat your ducting, which heats up your house and forces your air conditioner to work harder. The solar powered attic fan can reduce the temperature to approximately 10°F higher than the ambient outside temperature. By lowering the temperature you not only protect your roof and mechanical systems but reduce the transfer of heat to the inside of the home making it more comfortable.
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How are ridge vents, turbine vents, or gable vents different from a powered solar attic fan?
Ridge vents, gables vents, and dormer vents work by passive (natural) draft air convection. This means that as hot air rises in your attic, it should flow out from these vents creating a natural draft through the attic. However, as you have probably noticed if you currently have any of these vents installed on your home, they are not very effective at reducing the temperature of your attic.
Turbine vents are designed to pull hot air out of your attic when the wind blows. These vents are equally ineffective at removing attic heat due to frequent mechanical problems, low air moving capability, and a dependence on the wind to supply the power needed to induce a draft through the attic.
Solar powered attic fans operate on the principle of active (forced) draft air convection. Our fans create an air draft through your attic many times more powerful than that of natural draft air convection techniques. By inducing a greater air daft through the attic, our solar attic vents can effectively cool your entire attic and keep it cool throughout the day.
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What is the purpose of the thermal switch?
Our Solar Powered attic fan includes a thermal switch as part of our standard package. When your attic temperature is less than roughly 65°F, the thermal sensor will shut down the solar attic fan. We do this for a few reasons:
- During the fall and spring when attic temperatures are less than 85°F, there is very little driving force for heat transfer across the insulation in your attic (~15°F temperature difference between the attic and living area vs. ~70°F difference during the summer when the attic is hot).
- By shutting down the attic fan when it's not needed, we can greatly extend the run life of the fan motor, saving you money in the long run.
- In cold climates, we recommend bypassing the thermal switch and allowing the fan to run all year. We include the appropriate instructions in the box. This will help to reduce condensation of moisture in the attic along with the potential for mold and mildew formation, as well as ice damming caused by warmer attic air melting snow on the roof that subsequently refreezes at the eave.
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What are the cost benefits of installing a solar attic fan?
How much money you will save is greatly dependent on the price of electricity in your area, the amount of attic space in your home, the efficiency of your attic insulation, the amount of tax credit and rebates available in your area and the amount of ventilation your solar attic vent is able to provide. In our experience, a typical installation will usually pay for itself within 1-3 summers of use. Power Attic Fans can cost up to $35 per month to operate.
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Does my roof already have ventilation?
Static vents or ridge vents will help but generally do not provide sufficient air movement to pull heat and moisture from the attic – especially during the winter or when the ambient air is stagnate. If you have electric fans in the attic, you will benefit from increased air movement in the summer but at a cost of 350 to 400 watts of power per day! Often, electric attic fans have a thermostat that keeps them inoperable during the winter, just when you need them to expel moisture! A solar powered attic fan runs whenever there is sunlight – and, at no cost of operation.
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Is a solar powered attic fan difficult to install?
The Solar Powered Attic is extremely easy to install. A homeowner can install one in less than one hour and a professional in less than 30 minutes. An installation video is available and additional help is available by calling 866-446-0966. Only basic tools are required and there is no electrical wiring to connect.
We would be glad to refer an installer in your area if one is available. If there is not one available we would suggest you call your local handyman. Please call 866-446-0966 for details. The retailer does not provide the installation and does not make any arrangements with any installation companies.
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Are tax credits available for installing a solar powered attic fan?
Absolutely. The fan qualifies for up to 30% in Federal tax credit. There may be additional energy rebates or tax credits available through your local utility. You can obtain an IRS form 5695 through the internet or visit our Tax Credit Info page to download the form and learn about other possible rebates that may apply.
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My current electric fan is noisy and can be heard from inside the home. Is the solar attic fan noisy?
The solar powered attic fan is extremely quiet. The solar cell provides power to a super-quiet DC motor. There is no harmonic hum that is common with AC motors.
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What is the life expectancy of the solar panel?
The Solar Powered Attic Fan has the latest state-of-the-art solar panel designed to last for more than 20 years. In fact, the solar panel has a 20 year prorated warranty – the longest warranty in the industry! A standard solar panel can last 5 years or less….
 Solar Powered Attic Fan Warranty Information
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Are there differences in solar power attic fans available in the market?
Yes! It is no different than buying any other large ticket item. The Solar Powered Attic Fan has some of the best technology available at the best price to assure you have a fan that will last for years to come.
- Our Solar Powered Attic Fan includes a commercial grade, hail resistant solar panel with a unique tilt-swivel design. By maximizing the solar panel’s orientation to the sun you gain up to 25% more power.
- We offer a 20 year limited warranty on the solar panel and 5 years on the motor.
- We offer one of the longest motor warranties in the market. In addition, our top of line motor has been designed with a simple brush replacement feature, assuring many years of worry free performance.
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Is a building permit required to install the solar powered attic fan?
To our knowledge, no permit is required.
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Is additional wiring required?
No. There is no additional wiring or need for an electrician to install the unit.
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Can the black housing be painted to match the roof shingles?
Yes, but you should first prime the housing with an acrylic paint. Be sure to not apply any paint to the solar panel surface.
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Can I replace my existing static or turbine vents with the solar attic fan?
Yes, in most cases the solar attic fan will directly replace existing vents making the installation even easier.
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Will the solar powered attic fan continue to run after dark?
No. The solar panel depends on the sun to power the fan motor. However, once the sun goes down, air temperature drops and the need for ventilation decreases.
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Can the solar attic fan be used to vent garages?
Yes! Many of our customers are using the fan to provide a green solution to reduce the temperate in the garage or storage shed and provide airflow.
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Why does solar attic fan use a vacuum co-polymer composite housing?
Many of the competitors use a metal housing that conducts and radiates heat, dents, rusts and corrodes. The solar attic fan was designed to reduce heat build up and look great for years.
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Why is a brush type motor important?
A brush type motor has a lower startup torque and offers significantly more output power when compared to a brushless motor.
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Will the solar attic fan leak?
The Solar Attic Fan is designed to not leak and includes an oversized, steel zinc coated roof flashing integrated into the design. Please refer to the easy installation instructions included in each unit as well as the online video.
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