Attic fans are used to help cool attics, thus contributing to reduced energy use in your home. In the following article, we tell you briefly how these fans help in saving energy, and give you reviews of 5 fans, to make it easier for you to choose one.
Did You Know?
In the summer months, temperature levels in attics can even exceed 49 °C or 120 °F.
Attic fans are a great way to keep your attic cool and improve the ventilation. The importance of keeping your attic cool is that a cool attic will help reduce the load on your air conditioning system, thus reducing your energy bill.
Due to the sunlight striking your roof, the air in the attic heats up, and makes the whole house hot. When the house is air conditioned, the system has to work harder to cool the house, thanks to the heated air in the attic. This can increase your AC bill tremendously. A simple solution to this is to install attic fans, that vent out the hot air from the attic, keeping your house cooler, and reducing the load on the AC.
Attic fans also ensure that the air in the attic keeps circulating, reducing the accumulation of moisture, and consequently, build-up of mold and mildew in the attic. These fans also keep the air fresh, and inhibit the collection of dust and debris in the attic.
Buying the Right Attic Fan
When it comes to choosing an attic fan for your house, there are a few things to keep in mind. Attic fans come in two main varieties, electric and solar-powered. It goes without saying that proper sunlight is needed for the solar fans to work. Besides this, the size of the fan, or motor, is also important. You should keep in mind the area of the attic when choosing an attic fan. In the following section, you can find reviews of 5 popular options to consider installing in your home.
Natural Light Energy Systems 30-Watt Roof Mounted Attic Fan
This attic fan from Natural Light Energy Systems helps keep your attic cool by venting out the hot air trapped in your attic with ease. It works on solar power, helping to keep your cooling costs low. It is easy to install, and requires no wiring, ensuring that you can install it yourself. This Natural Light solar attic fan is capable of venting attics up to 2,500 square feet.
Main Features
- No Wiring Required
- Easy to Install
- 25-year Warranty
- Uses Solar Energy
- Qualifies for Tax Credit
Ventamatic Solar Powered Roof Attic Ventilator Model VX1000SOLARWG
This is another solar-operated attic fan that helps vent heated air from attics. This model uses an 18-volt motor powered by 12.6 watts. It is effective in cooling attics up to 1,500 square feet, and is capable of moving up to 1,000 cubic feet of air per minute.
Broan 353 Gable Mount Ventilator
This exhaust fan from Broan uses electric power to operate. It comes with a 3.4 amp motor that is capable of generating up to 950 revolutions per minute, and effective in cooling, or venting, an attic up to 1,630 square feet in size.
Main Features
- Built-in Thermostat
- Quiet Operation
- 1-year Limited Warranty
- Permanently Lubricated Motor
- Cheaper than Solar Fans
Ventamatic CX1500 Power Gable Ventilator Fan
This is another attic fan powered by electricity, that uses 115 volts to run a 3.4 amp motor. It can cool attics that are up to 1,850 square feet, and has a 1,300 CFM rating, when used with the CX2121 automatic shutter.
Main Features
- Adjustable Thermostat
- 14-inch Aluminum Fan Blades
- 2-year Limited Warranty
- Thermally Protected Motor
- 600-square-inch Intake
Honeywell 12-Watt Gable Mount Solar Powered Attic Fan Model 527SHON103BLK
This is a solar-powered attic fan, where the fan installs in your attic, and the solar panels mounts on the roof. This fan comes with a 12-watt solar panel that provides energy to power a 24-volt motor, and is capable of venting out an attic up to 1,250 square feet.
Main Features
- No Wiring Required
- Built-in Thermal Switch
- Qualifies for Tax Credit
- Uses Solar Energy
- 5-year Limited Warranty
There are many fans available in the market that you can choose from. In addition to the above, the following brands are also a good buy. Remember, each company or manufacturer markets different models of these fans, and you can choose the perfect one depending on your requirements.
- Air Vent Black Roof Power Ventilation
- Air Vent WeatherWood Roof Solar Powered Ventilation
- U.S. Sunlight Black Roof Power Ventilation
- Blue Hawk Mill Roof Power Ventilation
- Attic Aire Brown Roof Power Ventilation
We would advise you to install solar-powered fans, as they use no energy to operate. If you are facing problems of your attic heating up, then it is painfully obvious that lack of sunlight is not going to be an issue. Besides the advantage in energy costs, solar-powered attic fans also qualify for tax credits; check with local authorities before putting in a claim. Though these may be expensive, they will definitely save you more money in the long run.