An attic vent fan powered by solar energy can help cool your home. During the summer, attic temperatures can reach over 160°F. All that heat stays up there at night, and it sinks into your house through the insulation in your ceiling. A properly designed solar attic vent fan can remove a lot of air over the course of a day, cooling your house in the process.
Attic vent fans come in two forms: one-piece units and distributed units. A one-piece unit like the one in the figure costs around $300 and is easy to install. Because you don’t need to run expensive electrical power up to the fan, you can install one just about anywhere you want. You don’t even need to go into the attic space. Simply cut a round hole in your roof, pull the shingles back, slide the unit up under the shingles, and drop it into the hole. Seal for weatherproofing, and you’re done.
