One of the hottest (excuse the pun) ways to save energy in the Phoenix metro area is by installing solar powered attic fans on the roofs of a home. These highly energy efficient units are designed to draw warm air out of your attic, which in theory will cool down your house across the board. However, many people are skeptical about whether or not these devices actually cool down a home. In order to provide you with some factual information so you can make a smart decision on your own, here are some of the facts vs. fiction statements around the question: Do solar powered attic fans work?
Facts About Attic Solar Fans
Solar Attic Fans Cool The House – Fact (to an extent)
When we were in high school science, one of the first things we learned was about turbulence. In the instance of flying, turbulence is caused by warm air rising, while cold air descends. This scientific principle also applies to the air in your home. The warm air that circulates through your home eventually finds itself trapped in the highest part of your home – the attic. The attic fans are designed to draw this warm air out of the attic, which will reduce the overall temperature of your home. It does not supply cool air, but it will cool your home by removing the warm air.
So to the question of whether or not it will cool the house the answer is yes; it’s just not done through traditional cooling methods.
Solar Attic Fans Let Air Conditioners to Be More Efficient – Fact
When the normal temperature in your house is cooler, the air conditioner does not need to work as hard to maintain or cool your home to a desired temperature. And since the attic fans are designed to draw warm air out of the house and reduce your overall temperature this means that your air conditioners will not have to work as hard to reach your desired temperature. This allows them to operate more efficiently, save money on electrical bills and keep your home comfortable during the hot summer months.
Solar Attic Fans Reduce your Total Energy Bill – Fact
The key word here is solar. Since the majority of attic fans are powered by the sun, there is no additional energy output to operate them. And as we discussed above, when the solar attic fans draw warm air out of the house, the other appliances like AC units don’t work as hard or draw as much energy to operate. This also impacts other major appliances such as refrigerators and freezers. When these items are opened, they are exposed to the ‘heat’ inside the house. When the heat is cooler than normal, they don’t have to work as hard to maintain the lower temperature. Therefore, attic fans can significantly impact the monthly energy bill in a positive way.
When you look at the facts it seems very easy to ascertain that solar powered attic fans are indeed a very good item to purchase when you’re living in extreme temperature cities in the Phoenix metro area. There are many other facts about solar powered attic fans which you should seek professional solar and air conditioning advise from an authorized dealer of these units in order to make a better decision. But across the board, solar powered attic fans work and can work in tandem with your ac unit keep your house cooler during the hot summer months.
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