Solar Attic Fans?

[Brad J]

Our house is cooking right now. Our neighbor had some solar attic fans put in a few years ago & says its saved a ton on their cooling costs. Our attic is 1500 square feet with 2 gable vents. Does anyone have advice as to brand, type or installation tips of gable or roof mount solar powered vents. I would like to get this done before it really gets hot. I put flooring in above the garage to use as storage with an access door that is usually open most of the time from inside the garage going up there (if that makes a difference).
Thanks, Brad

 

[bryson]

I'm curious about the fans as well...

 

[SLC97SR5]

I'm unsure about the attic fans but if you have space and money, a whole house fan is the way to go.

They are a giant bathroom fan that pulls in the cool evening air and vents out through the attic. Ricsrx has one and it really cools off the house and floods the attic with cool air.

They are really easy to install if you have an existing swamp cooler duct/ power and have swapped to central air.

 

[gijohn40]

I have installed a few of them... they are not cheap but once you realize that there is no power from the electric company the cost soon becomes a non issue... the ones I installed were all the ceiling/rooftop style. You pretty much just cut a hole in your roof and install the fan with some nails and some roofing tar. making sure to slide the flashing under the shingles above it.

Here is an article that helps some...

http://www.motherearthnews.com/green-homes/solar-attic-fan-zmaz09aszraw.aspx#axzz33rJjwzTM

 

[airmanwilliams]

Here is one I have been following and may buy soon for our home. http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Solar-P...724?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d1c43f5fc

 

[Unimog]

I'm unsure about the attic fans but if you have space and money, a whole house fan is the way to go.

X2. We have one of these and love it! It is perfect for the weather we are having right now. Morning and evening, we can just pull cool outside air in and pump it out the attic.

The other comment that I would have is that if you don't have the max insulation up there, you can still get it updated free via reimbursement from the gas and power companies. There are a lot of vendors who will do this for you: Evaluate existing insulation level, update it to current spec, and bill the gas and power companies for you. All you have to do is sign a contract promising to send the checks over when they come in.

 

[frieed]

About the Solar fans: You can't mix those with gable vents. You just pull air from the gable to the fan. You need to have soffit vents all around the roof and block off the gables.

About whole house fans: Put it in the garage with a screen door into the house. Noise is now in the garage plus, if the house is closed up with A/C running, you can move air through the garage if you are working there and it will cool the attic to help the A/C as well. (This is how I have mine set up)

 

[ricsrx]

About whole house fans: Put it in the garage with a screen door into the house. Noise is now in the garage plus, if the house is closed up with A/C running, you can move air through the garage if you are working there and it will cool the attic to help the A/C as well. (This is how I have mine set up)

I do not have the noise problem due to locating the fan on the other side of the house but the A/C issue i have ran into, good call on having it installed in the garage location, I may have to relocate the fan, I think i could easily still use all the same controls.....
because of the whole house fan we have not ran the A/C yet this year!

 

[frieed]

Only downside with whole house fan: If you are allergy prone, it will drag 1000x more pollen through the house.

Another upside to having it in the garage: I'll open the garage door about 3-4" and run the fan all night. Cools down the concrete floors which keeps the temps cooler for far longer the next day with the door closed.

 

[rholbrook]

I had two put in and turn on and off with attic tempurature. Mine are not solar but I can see the benefits of solar.

 

[nnnnnate]

At what temperature do you set them to turn the attic fans on? I have wanted to add some although I have gable vents all along my roof and wall vents cut in on the sides. I'd really like to add one to my garage though because I can't ever get it to cool down in the summer.

 

[Caleb]

I have one that's auto on/off on a thermostat as well. Non-solar. Works great, can't remember what temperature it's set to come on at but somewhere around 100*. Once the outside temps start hitting upper 60s, it starts to run. I'll do another one in any house I have in the future after feeling the difference it makes and the amount of hot air it sucks out.

 

[Brad J]

Our house was built in 1999 & we had the Insulation topped off a couple years ago in the attic. Central Air in the house & no swamp cooler has been used. Our house faces South so I have plenty of sun to use. I have been miserable from allergies so a whole house fan may not be a good option. I have been leaving some windows open at night & it has helped get the inside temp down during the night. Hotter days are ahead so I would like to get going on this before our Rockymountainpower bill is outrageous. I love the idea of having the fan running off solar not adding to our utility bill.

This fan looks like it might be a good option with a thermostat that kicks it on at 80 degrees & then off at 70 degrees ($17.29).
Solar Attic Fan 20-watt with 25-year warranty. Venting capacity of 1800 square feet of attic space per fan. $323.40

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OULVQM...TF8&colid=1DQIHDZAW65T0&coliid=I1M83GPTH5R479
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002YVUOO...TF8&colid=1DQIHDZAW65T0&coliid=I2RW685CS42H05

I hate cutting holes in my roof but did for a vent for a small furnace in the garage & have not had any leaking issues. I tucked the flashing under the shingles and its been good for a few years. I have several roof caps (vents up at the top of the roof). Should I plug those up from inside so that the air flows through the soffit vents & gable vents? Thanks for the suggestions & replies guys.