What is the solar-powered Fan-Attic and what does it do?
The Fan-Attic is a solar-powered attic ventilation system. As an "active" attic ventilation system, the Fan-Attic provides more effective ventilation than "passive" systems such as turbine vents. Furthermore, this effectiveness is free -- since the Fan-Attic is solar-powered, there are no wires to attach, and no electricity requred to run the unit. The Fan-Attic is the attic ventilation system that pays for itself. You also might qualify for a federal tax credit.

Why is attic ventilation important?
Heat and moisture affect your roofing materials all-year long. In the summer, built-up attic heat migrates into your living area, heats up the air in your home's air conditioning ducts, and makes the air conditioner work harder to cool your home. Adding a Fan-Attic solar ventilation system to your roof can actually reduce the operating time of your air-conditioner in the summer. This is why heating and air conditioning companies recommend the Fan-Attic.

In the wintertime, moisture from inside the house can enter the attic. Without proper ventilation, excess moisture promotes mold and mildew, can saturate insulation, and can freeze on the underside of your roofing material. A Fan-Attic ventilates this air before it has a chance to condense inside your attic.

Why would I want to cool off my attic?
The summer sun makes your home's asphalt composition, shake, or tile roof very hot. This also heats the air inside your attic. If this hot air isn't ventilated, it enters your home.

Attic insulation doesn't eliminate the heat transfer from the attic to your home — it just slows it down. In addition, the heat that accumulates in your attic during the day continues to warm up your home after the sun goes down.

A well-ventilated attic, using a solar-powered attic fan like the Fan-Attic, removes this hot air before it heats up your attic and your home. In doing so, it reduces the strain on your home's cooling system — and this can mean big savings on your energy bill.

Have you ever been inside your attic during the hot summer months? Your attic can be much hotter than the air outside! The Fan-Attic works to drastically reduce the temperature in your attic. This in turn helps protect your roof, and makes your home more comfortable and energy-efficient.

How are ridge vents, turbine vents, or gable vents different
from a solar-powered Fan-Attic?
Ridge vents, gables vents, and dormer vents ventilate your attic via passive (natural) draft air convection. As hot air accumulates in your attic, it should flow out from these vents creating a natural draft through the attic.

Turbine vents work when the wind blows to pull hot air out of your attic. Their efficiency is limited as the wind is not always blowing fast enough to properly ventilate your attic space.

The Fan-Attic uses active (forced) draft air convection. Using its 38-volt motor combined with our whisper-quiet, patented Revcor™ fan blade, the Fan-Attic Our pulls air through your attic faster than turbine vents, and helps your ridge and gable vents work more efficiently. By working with the sun, the Fan-Attic cools your hot attic all day long — and this helps keep your attic cooler, and your home more comfortable, in the evening as well.

Why use the optional thermal switch?
The Fan-Attic's optional thermal switch is designed to turn on when your attic temperature reaches 80-degrees. when the attic cools down to 65-degrees, the fan-attic turns off.

In most climates (especially cold climates) we recommend you bypass the switch and allow the fan to run all year. This helps you to reduce attic condensation as well as possible mold and mildew formation. In addition, you can reduce ice damming caused by warmer attic air melting snow on the roof that refreezes at the eaves.

How Does The Fan-Attic save money?
The Fan-Attic saves you money in some of the following ways:

• The Fan-Attic cools your hot attic without the need to hire an electrician to wire the attic ventilation system into your electrical system.
• The Fan-Attic cools your attic during the summer and reduces the strain on your air-conditioning system. This is why many HVAC professionals include the Fan-Attic when they install central air conditioning.
• When you ventilate your attic in the winter, you reduce moisture condensation in your attic, your insulation, and the underside of your roof. This helps to make your roofing and insulation materials last longer, and keeps your home more comfortable.
• The solar-powered Fan-Attic runs off the sun's energy, not your local utility's, so it won't impact your electric bill.

What about in the Winter Time?
Attic ventilation systems are required year-round. Most people associate attic ventilation with heat; however, of the two major forces at work in your attic, moisture, not heat, is by far the most destructive. Since winter air is drier, it absorbs moisture from your home (and its inhabitants) with the attic space being even more susceptible to excessive moisture in the winter. When air is trapped inside the attic, it will always be warmer than the air outside. The roof sheathing/decking will be colder in the winter months, therefore creating even more condensation. It can literally "rain" in your attic, producing mildew, or rotting conditions damaging wood member, sheathing/decking and destroying shingles. It can also drip down to the ceiling below to damage sheetrock, plaster, or paint. Insulation will become wet and provide less resistance to heat loss, in effect, losing its R-value. A properly ventilated attic will circulate the air, therefore not allowing moisture to form.

Where does the moisture that affects an attic come from?
Houses are built much tighter today than they were 20-30 years ago. Windows are more efficient, the R-value of insuation and other building materials has increased, so overall, today's homes are a lot more weather-tight. In doing this, we trap the moisture in the home, moisture generated by many different things. The normal perspiration and breathing of a family of four, adds about 1/2 pint of water to the air every hour. Cooking three meals a day adds four-to-five pints of water to the air. Each shower contributes 1/2 a pint, in fact every activity that uses water (like dishwashers, mopping floors and doing laundry) adds moisture to the air. Experts say that the daily living activities of a family of four can add more than 18 gallons of water a week into the air of the home. Air moisture will flow towards drier air to equalize itself. This equalization process actually forces the indoor moisture through the ceiling and insulation into the attic.

The Fan-Attic solar powered roof ventilation system, when used in conjunction with existing static vents, can eliminate the destructive properties associated with attic mosture in the winter by keeping the air circulating. Meanwhile, in the hotter summer months, it helps keep the temperature in your attic lower, making your home's interior a much more comfortable environmnet to be in. Best yet? The Fan-Attic doesn't cost a cent to run!

Does my roof already have ventilation?
Static vents or ridge vents generally do not provide sufficient air movement to pull heat and moisture from the attic – especially during the winter or when ambient air is stagnant. The Fan-Attic works to complement your home's existing static or ridge vents.

Is The Fan-Attic difficult to install?
A skilled do-it-yourselfer can usually install the Fan-Attic on an asphalt composition roof in under an hour. Since you are working on your roof, we highly recommend that you hire a qualified Fan-Attic dealer or roofing professional. Click here to see our installation instructions.

Are tax credits available for installing a The Fan-Attic?
Yes! The Fan-Attic qualifies for up to 30% in Federal tax credit through 2009. There may be additional energy rebates or tax credits available through your local utility. Click here to obtain an IRS form 5695. Local utility rebates may also apply. Please contact customer service at 1-877-326-2884 for information.

Does the Fan-Attic make a lot of noise?
The Fan-Attic is extremely quiet. The solar cell provides power to a super-quiet DC motor without the humming sound associated with AC motors used on electric attic fans.

What is the life expectancy of the Fan-Attic's solar panel?
The Fan-Attic has the latest state-of-the-art solar panel designed to last for more than 20 years. In fact, the solar panel has a 20-year limited warranty — one of the strongest in the industry.

Fan-Attic Warranty Information
The Fan-Attic offers one of the strongest warranties in the roofing/ventilation industry.
Click here for more information.

Is a building permit required to install the Fan-Attic?
To our knowledge, no permit is required. You should check with your local building codes just in case.

Is additional wiring required?
None whatsoever. The Fan-Attic works right out of the box.

Can the black housing be painted to match the roof shingles?
The housing can be painted. We recommend that you prime the housing with an acrylic paint. Do not apply any paint to the solar panel.

Can I replace my existing static or turbine vents with the Fan-Attic?
Yes, in most cases the Fan-Attic will easily and directly replace existing vents with little or no additional cutting of your roof.

Will The Fan-Attic run after dark?
The Fan-Attic doesn't run after the sun goes down. Of course, since it's already cooled your attic during the daylight hours, the residual cooling effect lasts well into the evening.

Can the Fan-Attic be used to vent garages?
Absolutely. Many of our customers use the Fan-Attic to reduce the temperatures in their garages and storage sheds.

Why doesn't the Fan-Attic use a metal housing?
Many attic fan manufactuers use a metal housings that dent, rust or corrode and retain heat. The Fan-Attic's housing is designed for long life, reduced heat buildup, and we think it's pretty good-looking as well.

Why is a brush type motor important?
A brush type motor produces significantly more output power when compared to a brushless motor. Brushless motors are commonly used because they are less costly.

Will the Fan-Attic leak?
No. The Fan-Attic is designed to not leak and includes a 24” square, 25 gauge steel zinc coated roof flashing integrated into the design. Please refer to the easy installation instructions included in each unit.