Solar Attic Fan
When the temperature rises above 82F, and you choose to use air conditioning, close windows and turn up the air knowing that the ceiling fan will save up to 30% on cooling costs by getting rid of trapped super-hot air tends to collect in attics and get the heat to back up in the home. (Illustrated below)
Attic temperatures can get up to 150F with no attic fan. Attic fans create a positive air flow through your attic that does not depend on wind or too much passive venting. Excessive passive ventilation may cause excessive moisture infiltration in the form of snow or rain. The attic fan is normally mounted on the roof of the home toward the back about two feet down from the top. It goes on and off automatically with a thermostat, so it just runs when it is advantageous.
The attic fan has a flashing that fits the shingles and is waterproof. Attic fans less than 300 watts, and offers these important advantages:
1. Lowers upstairs room temperature with 10
2 Extends roof life by keeping shingles cooler.
3. Saves up to 30% on air conditioning costs.
The exact savings obtained depends on several factors: The color of your roof, if the home is shaded, the amount of insulation you have and the efficiency of your cooling system. Ideally, an attic fan installation pay for itself within 3 years. A high quality attic fan is recommended. But the benefits do not stop there, in winter, the fan continues to help homeowners, many of today’s houses have insufficient ventilation and attic ventilation. This causes high humidity from everyday activities. This moisture migrates through the ceiling towards the roof where it comes in contact with the cold structure. Here, ice and frost form, damage to the roof. In addition, moisture can saturate insulation, promote fungal and plywood delamination.
Tools required: Razor Knife, Flat Bar, caulking gun, screwdriver, reciprocating saw, ladders.
Steps1 In the attic, mark location of solar-powered vent between two roof rafters.
2. Drive nail through the center vent location.
3. Install roof brackets and fall arrest system to roof.
4. Scribe outline of Vent is flashing on the roof using homemade dowel compass.
5. Cut shingles along circular outline with a hobby knife.
6 Pull nails and remove shingles from inside the circle.
7 Use the compass to take out a hole for the vent on the roof sheathing.
8. Cut holes in the ceiling with a reciprocating saw.
9. Remove shingles from around the opening hole.
10. Apply continuous bead of tri-polymer roofing cement around the hole.
11. Set roof vent over the hole, then screw the fan flashing to roof.
12. Bring more sealing around flashing.
13. Replace all roof shingles around the vent fan with 1-inch roofing nails.
- With a razor blade, cut a 4 inch slit through the shingles and tar paper on the 3 and 9 o’clock position of the flashes. This allows the sides of the flashing to be inserted under the shingles.
- Turn reciprocating saw blade sideways at 3 o’clock and start cutting roofing nails up and around to the 9 o’clock. This process removes the nails that prevent the flash from sliding up under the shingles.
- Caulk underside of flashing with the provided caulking material. Two concentric rings of caulking material is sufficient.
- Careful not to smear caulk on the exposed shingles, slide flashing under tar paper and shingles and force flashing until the shingles come in contact with the raised part of blinking. The underside of the flashing will be on the top of the shingles. Secure flashing with four hex screws at 3:00, 6:00, 9:00 and 12:00 positions, making sure that at 3:00, 9:00 and 12:00 positions, the screws are placed under the shingles. At 6:00 position, caulk over the screw head as it will be exposed to the weather. Use remaining caulk to seal the areas where the 4 “openings were made and around the area where the shingles meet with a raised area of the flashing.