Installing a Solar Attic Ventilation – Pros and Cons

The summer season brings the heat with it, and a hot home is no fun, both during the day and at night. While you may consider using your air conditioner more, there are alternative ways you can tackle the issue of heat while spending less on energy bills. Attic ventilation is one way to get rid of the surplus heat and maintain a cool temperature in your home.

There are two significant ways to provide attic ventilation. First, you can install a solar attic fan or roof vents. These ventilation options are not yet popular among the public, but maybe that’s because they don’t understand how they work. This article will be discussing why they are essential and some disadvantages that come with their usage.

Why Should You Minimize Humidity and Heat in your Home?

In hotter regions such as Florida, the heat and humidity can be a menace. How do you think this will affect homes that aren’t equipped with air conditioners, proper insulation, or attic ventilation in places like this? Firstly, the attic space in the home traps the heat from outside; from here, it enters the rest of the building. Even in homes that have air conditioners, they will have to work all-day round to keep the house cool, which means higher energy bills.

When heat enters a home unchecked, it can ruin your home’s insulation, trigger fungal decay, damage your roof and even delaminate plywood. This is what attic ventilation options such as solar attic fans can help prevent. An added benefit is that their energy source is the sun, which is free. So it’s about time you know the benefits of using solar attic fans.

Pros of Installing Solar Attic Fans

1. Reduces Humidity in the Attic

Humidity is a consequence of heat, and this creates the perfect breeding ground for living organisms such as mold and fungus. The presence of these in your home can be detrimental to the structural support of your building. Having a solar attic fan minimizes humidity and prevents these organisms from growing.

2. Energy-Efficient and Affordable

The solar attic fan is powered by solar energy which is sourced from the sun. Since your energy source is free and sustainable, you don’t have to worry about rising utility bills. These fans are also affordable to use because maintenance isn’t required. It’s also easy to install. This makes it a good investment.

3. Eco-Friendly Energy

Since they utilize solar energy, they are eco-friendly. Unlike air conditioners that release emissions into the atmosphere, solar attic fans lower your carbon emissions into the environment.

Cons of Installing Solar Attic Fans

1. They are More Expensive than Conventional Fans

This is only in terms of their upfront cost. However, what you spend purchasing them will be eventually recovered many times over through the energy you’ll save in the long run.

2. One Fan Hardly Does the Job

One solar attic fan cannot eliminate the excess heat in your home. This means you have to get two fans.