A
solar powered attic
fan can easily be the most energy efficient type of attic fan. The
reasons for installing such a fan are simple. An obvious one is to lower
the costs of air conditioning. Another reason is to lower moisture levels
in the air. Moisture can lead to water damage, as well as musty smells
and allergies from mildew and mold.
Of course, whether an attic fan, solar powered or otherwise, will really
keep air conditioning costs down depends on additional factors. The
major such factor is how well sealed and insulated the attic is. A solar
powered attic fan will keep an attic cool, and thereby the rest of the
house cool, if it is only drawing in air from the outside. If, however,
the attic is not well-sealed, it may draw in the air-conditioned air
from the home. This would raise, not lower, energy costs.
Also, even if the fan is drawing in air from the outside as it should,
certain problems could potentially arise. If the home is located in
a humid climate, it may not be as effective at keeping moisture out.
Instead, it would simply bring that humid, moist air right into the
attic.
To summarize, in non-humid locations, if an attic is well-sealed and
insulated, then using an attic fan can be a very wise investment.
Of course, if a fan is going to be purchased, then a solar powered
attic fan is the wisest choice. Simply put, there is no good reason
to use energy when the goal is to lower energy costs. When a fan is
run by the power of the sun, there is no need to worry about paying
electricity costs. After all, no one can charge you for using the sun's
power.
In addition to that, a solar fan is not contributing to harmful emissions.
Also, it is easy to install because it does not need to be connected
to the grid system.