(NAPSI)-The blazing heat of the sun can raise the temperature of a roof to as high as 190 degrees during the summer. For years, solar-panel makers have been harnessing that energy to reduce and supplement the use of traditional energy sources like coal, electricity and natural gas.
Now, that same technology is being used to reduce some of the heat that makes it from the roof into your attic. New solar attic vents can not only cut cooling costs but may prolong the life of your roof. Proper ventilation may extend the life of roof shingles and can help prevent ice dams. And solar models accomplish it all without using any energy except what the vent collects from the sun each day.
The solar vents start collecting energy as soon as the sun rises and can operate from dawn to dusk without any other power source from the homeowners. The latest versions of these solar-powered vents are made from durable materials including tempered glass and UV-stabilized ABS color-dyed plastic. Newer models can also be painted to match the roof color.
If you decide to install a solar attic fan, you may want to follow these tips from the experts at TAMKO Building Products, Inc.:
• Make sure your attic is adequately vented as it can be the key to an energy-efficient home. In the winter, allowing a natural flow of outdoor air to ventilate the attic helps keep it cold, which reduces the potential for ice damming (snow that melts off a roof from an attic that is too warm and then refreezes at the gutters, causing an ice dam that can damage the roof). In warmer weather, natural airflow in a well-vented attic moves superheated air out of the attic, removing moisture and protecting roof shingles.
• Don’t block the flow of air. Attic fans are intended to cool hot attics by drawing in cooler outside air from attic vents and pushing hot air to the outside. If your attic has blocked soffit vents and is not well sealed from the rest of the house, attic fans will suck cool, conditioned air up out of the house and into the attic. This will use more energy and make your air conditioner work harder, which can increase your utility bill.
• You don’t have to forgo aesthetics. When buying a solar vent, look for one that can get the most out of the sun while preserving the aesthetics of the house. Look for a heavyduty, whisper-quiet motor. The TAMKO Solar Attic Vent features a 20-watt solar panel that ventilates up to 1,600 square feet and can be placed out of the line of sight while still absorbing plenty of the sun’s rays.
For more information, visit www.TAMKO.com or call (800) 641-4691.
