Keep Your Attic Nice and Cool With A Best Solar Attic Fan

By Corey Majeau

Corey Majeau Home Improvement Contributor

Corey Majeau is a researcher, product tester, and writer for many sites including Homedit. With ten years of experience as a content writer, graphic designer, and hands-on product tester. Corey brings a certain level of quality and personality to the team.

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| Updated on Mar 16, 2021

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Attic Ventilator Gable Roof Vent

Amtrak Solar's Powerful 40-Watt Galvanized Steel

30-Watt Solar Attic Fan

iLIVING HYBRID Ready Smart Exhaust Solar Roof Attic

Solar Attic Fan 36-watt

Solar Power

What are Solar Attic Fans

Keep Your Attic Nice and Cool With A Best Solar Attic Fan

Buy Now

Are you thinking of purchasing and installing a solar attic fan in your home? If you’re looking for a simple and efficient way to add some ventilation to your home, prevent a build-up of moisture, and protect your home, solar attic fans are the way to go. They’re also great to use during the summer when temperatures and your electricity bill can both reach an all-time high.

It’s not just the summer though, solar attic fans are also great during the winter. During the colder months, your home is prone to moisture build-up that can result in mold and other damages in your home. With a solar attic fan, it’ll help with both ventilation and air circulation to prevent moisture from condensing on the roof’s surface.

What are Solar Attic Fans?

They’re fans that pull in the warm air from your attic and exchange it with the cooler air outside. It helps to keep the air inside your home cooler, so you don’t have to turn on your air conditioning that much. Solar attic fans also run on solar energy and become more effective when they’re exposed to sunlight.

When it comes to purchasing solar attic fans, there are a plethora of options out there, and it can be difficult to pick the one that best suits your needs. To start, we’ve created a list of 5 of the best solar attic fans to get you started. Before we provide the details of each of these solar attic fans, we’ve also put together a comprehensive guide that’ll talk a little more about the benefits of getting a solar attic fan, and what you should look for when purchasing one.

Benefits of a Solar Attic Fan 

First off, solar attic fans can be used in all climates from the summer to the winter. Since it exchanges the warm air inside your home with the cooler air outside, you’ll be able to reduce overall electricity consumption in your home. During the winter, the solar attic fan will also help with minimizing the build-up of moisture in your attic.

Solar attic fans are also great at improving home comfort. Since it improves ventilation within your home, it helps keep the rooms below the attic cool. While conventional electric fans can sometimes pull dangerous fumes and carbon monoxide from your basement, you won’t run into that issue with a solar attic fan.

Purchasing a solar attic fan will also help you protect your roof. In the summer, excessive heat buildup can damage the asphalt shingles, and in the winter you could deal with moisture-related damage. With solar attic fans, you’ve got ventilation that’ll help with minimizing any potential damage.

In the long run, you’ll also save money since you’re protecting your roof and prolonging the overall lifespan of your air conditioning. Most fans are also noisy, but you won’t run into that issue with a solar attic fan. These fans are usually extremely quiet and won’t make any noise during the day.

Pros and Cons of a Solar Attic Fan

Pros: 

• Eco-friendly. Solar attic fans are great for the environment since it runs on an energy source that’s both clean and renewable. Purchasing a solar attic fan will help in reducing your family’s carbon footprint.
• Saves cost. Since it helps ventilate your home and reduces moisture during the winter, it’ll help reduce the overall air conditioning and maintenance cost of your home.
• Easy installation. Solar attic fans are easy to install since there’s no wire installation required. While you can get a professional to help you with the installation, you can also do it on your own.
• Quiet. In comparison to conventional fans, solar attic fans are quiet, so you won’t have to worry about them making a lot of noise.

Cons: 

• Reliant on the sun. Since the fan does rely on sunlight, its performance can be compromised if it doesn’t receive enough charge.
• Power. Solar attic fans aren’t as powerful as conventional motor-based or electric fans.
• Expensive to purchase. It’s not cheap to purchase a solar attic fan however, you will end up saving on cost in the long run.

What to Look for in a Solar Attic Fan 

There are three categories of solar attic fans for you to consider when making your purchase. The first is solar attic fans that can be mounted on the roof. Mounting your fan on the roof can help to prevent your attic from overheating, and it’ll not only cool your home but also protect your roof.

Next, you’ve got solar attic fans that can be installed either in the gable vents or inside the attic. These fans are great at preventing moisture build-up and they’re usually popular options for the winter. Some models also come with a remote solar panel so you can easily adjust your panel to achieve the most sunlight.

Finally, you’ve got the curb-mounted solar attic fan. These are usually used for commercial purposes as it can vent a wide surface area of space.

Features of a Solar Attic Fan

When it comes to features, there are a few things you should look for when purchasing your solar attic fan.

First up, you’ll want to make sure that the solar panel is adjustable. That way, you can always move it around to a position that soaks up the most sunlight. You should also ensure that your solar attic fan is made of high-quality materials and isn’t flimsy.

Next, you’ll want to consider the fan blade. More fan blades on the solar attic fan will equate to a more efficient unit that’ll quicken the air circulation process. A larger number of fan blades will also mean a quieter unit since each blade won’t have to work as hard. You should look for a solar attic fan that has at least five blades and is made of aluminum that’s non-corrosive and durable.

Another thing to consider is the motor. You should ensure that your solar attic fan’s motor is quiet. The size of the motor that you require is highly dependent on the size of your attic. If you have a larger attic, then you’ll probably need more motors.

Durability is also key when it comes to your solar attic fan as the last thing you’d want is for your fan to fall apart after short-term use. Ideally, your attic fan should be made of durable aluminum material as units made with plastic tend to fall apart quickly. The solar vent should also be protected by an animal screen.

Then, you’ll also have to consider the cubic feet or meters of your attic. You’d want your solar attic fan to be able to efficiently cool the space, so measuring your attic is key. Finally, you’ll want to consider both safety and warranty features. Your solar attic fan should have protective features such as a cover, and you should look for a fan that has a warranty of at least 3 to 5 years.

Top 5 Best Solar Attic Fans

Solar Attic Fan 36-watt

First, on the list, we’ve got this solar attic fan that can be easily installed on asphalt shingle roofs and are great in providing attic ventilation. This top-rated solar attic fan prides itself on being built with high-quality material such as aluminum, stainless steel, and glass, and its DC motor is powered by a 36-watt solar panel that’ll efficiently circulate air throughout the day.

If needed, you can also adjust the solar panel up to a 45-degree angle. This particular fan can mount pitch roofs, and it’s not suited for flat roofs or sidewall mounting. You’ll need one fan for every 2,625 square feet of attic space, and the fan can be easily installed with no wiring required. All of the necessary installation hardware comes with your purchase, and there’s a 25-year limited warranty that comes with the entire unit.

iLIVING HYBRID Ready Smart Exhaust Solar Roof Attic Exhaust Fan

This solar attic fan comes with smart thermostat control that’s equipped with a 20-watt adjustable polycrystalline solar panel. The fan is waterproof, adjustable, and is built with a brushless motor. In terms of capacity, it’s able to provide up to 2,000 square feet of cooling, and the enable/disable feature on the smart thermostat means that you have more freedom to control the fan however you want.

Feel free to purchase additional add-on features for the fan such as a screen guard or an on/off switch. The fan itself comes with a 15-year warranty, and it’s both designed and engineered in San Francisco, California. Those that have purchased this fan have mentioned that it’s easy to install and put together, is quiet, and appreciates that it works well when exposed to sufficient sunlight.

30-Watt Solar Attic Fan

This solar attic fan will help to reduce your energy bills and provide airflow into your attic. It’s powered by solar energy and comes with a built-in thermostat and humidistat that’ll automatically adjust the airflow in accordance with your attic’s needs. It also comes with a brushless motor that creates no friction and will turn your motor wear without causing any damage for extended durability.

This solar attic fan is also incredibly quiet and comes with a limited lifetime warranty along with a 30-day guarantee. Those who have purchased this solar attic fan mentioned that it works great and has noticeably lowered the temperature in the attic. They also appreciate how the unit moves a lot of air and likes how the installation was straightforward.

Amtrak Solar’s Powerful 40-Watt Galvanized Steel

If you’re looking for a powerful solar attic fan, you won’t go wrong with this purchase. This particular fan comes with a 40-watt solar panel that’s made of great quality and can be installed in the gable vent or anywhere inside the attic. The fan turns on as soon as the sunlight hits the panel and you’ll get fresh air throughout the day.

Your purchase comes with four mounting brackets for the solar panel along with instructions on how to install the solar attic fan. On top of that, this fan also runs quietly and is made with sturdy galvanized steel. Those who have purchased it appreciated that installation was remarkably easy and that they could get customer support from the company whenever they ran into difficulties.

ECO-WORTHY 25W Solar Powered Attic Ventilator

Looking for a portable solar attic fan? This particular model will do the trick. Not only can it be moved around, but the solar attic fan can also work at a low voltage, so you’ll get ventilation even on cloudy days. It’ll also efficiently cool your roof and will reduce the overall expense of your electricity bill.

The solar attic fan is also well-made and is built of great quality. It’s also easy to install as your purchase comes with an 8-inch solar cable with a quick-connector. All you have to do is install it with the quick-connect wires, and you’ll have it all set up – be it in the gable vent or anywhere inside the attic. Those who have purchased this fan mentioned that it moves a lot of air, and they’ve noticed a drop in temperature by the end of the day.

The Bottom Line 

As seen above, purchasing the right solar attic fan can help with saving cost, and reducing moisture in your attic. It’ll also help with ventilation which will keep your attic nice and cool during the hotter days.

We hope that the comprehensive guide and detailed information on the solar attic fans have given you some further insight into why you should purchase a solar attic fan for your home, and what some of the best options may be. Regardless of which fan you purchase, you can be assured that all of the options above are made with quality durable materials and come with a sleek design. While purchasing a solar attic fan can be quite an investment, you’ll reap lots of great benefits in the long run.