Attic solar vent fan

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jan 8, 2006
Messages
2,813
Location
Michigan
Greetings,

I have a 50s brick ranch with very low roof line. On the roof I have 3 of these and one does not spin,

maxresdefault.jpg


I want to switch out the broken one with solar powered attic fan.

Good idea? which one should I get?
 
As far as the turbines they make all aluminum ones. They spin a lot easier than the steel ones.
 
Stockrex,

Are you informed about proper attic ventilation and the possible negative effects of powered attic exhaust fans? In short, improper powered attic exhaust might create a negative pressure situation, creating all kinds of problems, both summer and winter.

There are lots of web sites that cover this. Here's just one site that cautions their improper use: http://www.homepower.com/articles/home-e...tic-ventilation
 
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
As far as the turbines they make all aluminum ones. They spin a lot easier than the steel ones.


I am trying to do away with the turbines.
 
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
Stockrex,

Are you informed about proper attic ventilation and the possible negative effects of powered attic exhaust fans? In short, improper powered attic exhaust might create a negative pressure situation, creating all kinds of problems, both summer and winter.

There are lots of web sites that cover this. Here's just one site that cautions their improper use: http://www.homepower.com/articles/home-e...tic-ventilation


Good reading and I agree with it,

Also for the spinning vents it can suction from one vent on top of the roof to the other instead of flowing from eaves.

I read some reviews on lowes and electric is better than solar but I don't have a line in the attic and I am not going to spend the $$s to add one.

So that leaves with other vent choices.

How about dormer vents?


ridgeafter.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: cjcride
Ridge Vents run the full length of the roof and are at the highest/hottest point.


can't do ridge vent, roof is nearly new and don't want to mess with it.
 
I had a new roof put on 5 years ago with a ridge vent. The ridge vent replaced three aluminum turbines. I finally took the ridge vent off this spring and put in three new aluminum turbines.

With the ridge vent, the AC bill went up considerable and it got so hot in the attic the resin started to bead out of 60 year old wood.
 
Shoz,

on our last reroof, I did just the opposite. Went from "mushroom" peak vents to ridge vents and things improved. In Michigan, make sure any vent will keep the snow out.

r%20Roof%20vent%20need%20sealing..JPG

The literature suggests that in new construction,a properly engineered ridge vent/eave vent system is best, and that everything else is a compromise to meet the specific needs of unique roof design and/or retrofit situations. This is a VERY broad generalization because situations can vary so much. There are so many products out now to get a solution...mind boggling.
 
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
I had a new roof put on 5 years ago with a ridge vent. The ridge vent replaced three aluminum turbines. I finally took the ridge vent off this spring and put in three new aluminum turbines.

With the ridge vent, the AC bill went up considerable and it got so hot in the attic the resin started to bead out of 60 year old wood.


I have static vents next to the turbines, from what I have read that the turbines suction air from the static vents and rob the flow from the soffit vents,

I hear you on the hot attic, mine gets super hot too.
wow, so ridge vents are way overrated huh?

can you have both ridge vents and turbines?
 
As I understand a ridge vent, the air flowing across the ridge should pull air out; the venturi effect.

This never happened and from day one the ridge vent would capture air and force it into the attic. You could smell the hot attic air coming out of the gable end vents.

The three turbines create quite a bit of suction but if I would have left the ridge vent in place the air I feared a circular flow and little actual venting as they are so close to the ridge.
 
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
As I understand a ridge vent, the air flowing across the ridge should pull air out; the venturi effect.

This never happened and from day one the ridge vent would capture air and force it into the attic. You could smell the hot attic air coming out of the gable end vents.

The three turbines create quite a bit of suction but if I would have left the ridge vent in place the air I feared a circular flow and little actual venting as they are so close to the ridge.


I don't think the venturi effect applies here at all. Cool air is pulled into the eave vents as the hot air rises and leaves the ridge vent. Convection might be the correct terminology??

And, ridge vents should NOT be used with gable vents. It can result in a "short circuit" as described in this article: http://www.deerparkroofing.com/roof-ventilation.php

"This house contains both ridge vents and 750 vents. Only one type of exhaust vent should be installed to ensure the air intake occurs at the lower (and cooler) roof area — the soffit vents. This is known as a short circuit." In your description, your gable vents might have been drawing in air from the ridge vent, defeating the eave vent/top vent balance.
short_c_vent.jpg
 
We re-roofed last year with new ridge vents which helped quite a bit. Our roof was designed for ridge vents, though.

A solar ridge vent fan might help matters in my garage. That has quite a bit of heat buildup in the summer, especially when our cars are parked inside.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top