Solar Powered Fans
There are solar fans for
many different uses. They range from attic ventilation to
ones placed in the brim of your ball cap. There are units
to cool down the interior of your car, exchange air inside your dogs
house, shed or greenhouse and rechargeable
oscillating fans with radios
suitable for the pool or beach. If you can think of a place
where you might want to move air, there are solar powered fans
designed to do the job. Below I will go into some of these
different models and their uses.
Solar Powered Attic Fans:
A super hot attic makes your air conditioner work
harder to keep your home cool in the summer months. Attic fans
are designed to pull cooler outdoor air in through soffit and gable
vents and expel the hotter attic air outside. If your vents
are obstructed and there isn't a good seal between your indoor &
attic space, the fan can draw your air conditioned air & expel it
outside. This can significantly increase your utility bill so
be aware. As far as solar powered attic fans there are
benefits and drawbacks. One of the benefits is that you
probably wont need an electrician to wire it up (costly).
Another is that the suns energy is free. A couple drawbacks
are that they can be kind of expensive. (Do however look for
government rebates to offset the cost.) Also, solar solutions
tend to not be as powerful as the traditional units. Here is a
good place for information regarding attic ventilation...energystar.gov.
If you are the DIY kind & thinking of installing a solar attic fan
yourself,
This Old House has a pretty good video explaining the steps
involved.
Solar Powered House Fans:
Besides saving money on energy bills, traditional
style fans (think oscillating) can be a real necessity. Today
there are many different sizes and features for solar fans.
One particular unit was designed for emergencies. It is just
like any other fan in so much as you can use it plugged into a
standard 110 wall outlet. However, the unit also comes with an
internal battery, solar panel and even LED lights. Every year
numerous people in the US die from heat exhaustion. Having a
solar powered fan available should there be a power outage during
the summer months could save a life.
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