The Going Green To $ave Green Podcast looks at Solar Attic Fans in the latest episode. Solar Attic fans increase attic ventilation by using a small solar panel to run an exhaust fan when the sun is out.
Since I first did the Going Green To $ave Green Video Series,
solar attic fans have become viable and can help reduce your heating load in the summer. By reducing the temperature in your home’s attic they will also help ensure the top floor in your home stays cooler. There is some anecdotal evidence that the heat pump will reduce humidity and ice damming in the winter.
I am eager to put a solar attic fan in my garage. It is an un-airconditioned space that becomes way too hot in the summer. We typically enter our home through the garage, and the hot garage increases our heat load through the entrance door.
There are not many incentives for solar attic fans and paybacks are medium to long term in Canada and short term in the southern US. Solar attic fans may allow homeowners to set their home temperature higher in the summer as top floors are cooler. The cooler top floor will increase the quality of sleep in the summer, making solar attic fans beneficial in more ways than energy savings.
As always, I am looking for a partner to sponsor a k-12 home energy audit competition to foster a conservation culture in North America. What is my plan? Students watch the video series as part of the science curriculum, listen to the podcasts, and target energy savings initiatives in their own homes. That way, market forces, and saving green will encourage all people to reduce their environmental footprint.