solar attic vent

solar attic vent

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In a large house it is important to have a proper circulation of air. This is needed during the warm months to keep the house cool and during the colder months to ensure that no mold and mildew is created or dry rot takes hold. Most of these homes will have an attic or loft of some form which is often used to store things or just left empty. The attic is the place where most of the heat will go and it is important to ventilate the space adequately. One way to do this is to use solar powered gable ventilators and attic fans. This article will explain how these devices work and how to install them.

How Solar Power Gable Ventilators Work

The principle is the same for both the attic fan and the gable ventilator. A solar panel is placed on the roof. This is used to create electricity from direct sunlight. The electricity will then be collected in a battery or used to power the operation of the vent mechanism or a fan. In most cases the vent and fan are part of the same package. Whilst it is not common to have a battery rigged up this will ensure that the device can be operated throughout the day and night (and even in bad weather).

There are two major advantages of the solar powered gable ventilators and attic fans over traditional units. The first is that they are easy to install. The second is that they are free after installation costs.

Installation is quite straightforward. The most difficult part is putting the solar panel onto the roof. This can be done by a tradesperson or by a competent DIYer. Once the panel in installed it is simply a matter of connecting the ventilator and fan up to the leads from the solar panel.

This is much easier and cheaper to install than a unit that used grid electricity, especially if there were no electrical sockets in the attic.

Once installed the solar panel could last up to 25 years. The mechanical mechanism in the ventilator and fan may wear out but they would last for many years. This would be free provided the sun continued to shine and could shave a few dollars off your electricity bill.

Learn more about about gable mounted solar attic fans at http://www.solarpowerappliances.com/ . The site has features on outdoor lighting and other solar power appliances. Adrian Whittle writes about using solar power and appliances that can utilize renewable energy sources.

SunRise Solar Attic Fan Installation