We all know that using more fans and less AC is great for the environment, but going solar is one more step in the right direction. By installing a solar attic vent fan you not only help cut down on your electricity use, but you can also dramatically lower the temperature in your entire home, creating a cool, green environment for you and your family during the hot summer months.
The shingled roof above your home absorbs sunlight during the day and can transfer heat into the attic, potentially reaching a scalding 150° F. This intense heat is trapped in your attic and slowly passes through the insulation into the rest of your home, causing your AC to work overtime to keep the overall temperature cool. An attic can stay hot long after the sun goes down, meaning the heat transfer into your home never really ends. An attic vent van allows the stored heat to leave the home through the roof instead of through your air conditioner. Solar attic fans are an environmentally friendly way to save money on your energy bills and create a cool and comfortable atmosphere inside your home.
Solar fans for your attic can be a little pricey, typically around $400, but the payback can be worth it. Energy audits determine that an attic fan can save you roughly $25 per month in air conditioning costs over a four-month summer period. Because solar fans only require an upfront payment, you will be saving $100 per year which equates to a payback period of only four years.
Take Action / Next Steps
Compare prices and designs of solar fans at online vendor sites such as Amazon's
Did you know that because of solar's payback period and home value appreciation, you can end up saving money on your
monthly electricity bill and increase your home's value?
As stated in the above example, it may take as few as four years to get your initial investment back through monthly
savings in your electricity bill. However, solar has even more financial benefits. According to the National Association of
Real Estate Appraisers (NAREA), for every dollar you save annually in energy costs, the value of your home can appreciate by
up to 20 times that amount. Solar is catching on and homebuyers are interested in pre-installed applications, such as solar
attic vent fans.
Did you know that more than three-quarters of all U.S. households have air conditioners?
Energy consumption by U.S. air conditioners account for almost 5% of all the electricity produced in the country. This use
translates to a cost of over $15 billion places on homeowners, but the environmental cost is just as appalling. That amount
of electricity used by air conditioners amounts to the release of roughly 140 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. By
using a solar attic fan you help lower your AC's electricity use and help decrease the world's carbon dioxide production.
SOURCES :
1. Amann, Jennifer Thorne. Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings. Gabriola Island, Canada: New Society Publishers, 2007.
