WHY YOU NEED A SOLAR ATTIC FAN IN THE WINTER
If installing a fan in the wintertime has you raising an eyebrow, you’re not alone. Many Canadians purchase solar attic fans for the purpose of removing hot air buildup in the summer months, not realizing that these fans are just as important, if not more so, during the winter. Cooler temperatures can be just as damaging to the structural integrity of your attic, prompting leaks, insulation damage, mold, fungus, and wood rot. Fortunately, installing a solar attic fan on your roof offers a simple, easy, and affordable solution to attic ventilation winter woes. Read on to learn more about the dangers of moisture buildup and how an attic fan can prevent them.
Equalizing Indoor and Outdoor Temperatures
Maintaining an even attic temperature is one of the surest ways to curb condensation and prevent moisture buildup in your attic. While no home is exempt from attic moisture accumulation, newer homes are most at risk. By keeping cool, drier exterior air out of the attic, advanced insulation materials in newer homes allow the interior to hold on to excess moisture. This buildup of moisture and condensation can have consequences, leading to mold, rot, and mildew. A solar attic fan keeps condensation at bay by continually exchanging warm moist air from inside the attic with cool, drier air from the outside of your home.
Prevent Mold, Mildew, and Rot
In the winter, warm air from the living space below rises from within the home into the attic space where it comes in contact with the roof which is cooler in temperature. As hot air cools on contact with your roof, it condenses leading to rot, mildew, and mold; all of which can wreak havoc on your roof, damage insulation and produce cosmetic issues for your home’s finish. A solar attic fan expels hot, moist air from your attic whilst introducing cool, drier air into the space. This exchange prevents condensation from forming and keeps your attic dry, avoiding rot, mold, and fungus development.
Avoid Costly Structural Repairs
Apart from mold, mildew, and rot, the buildup of condensation in your attic can lead to another alarming issue—ice dams. Ice dams occur when warm indoor air rises to the peak of the attic and melts the snow on the roof which flows down towards the eaves and the gutter. Here, the snow refreezes and accumulates into a pile of ice that prevents water from properly draining. The water that backs up behind the dam can leak under the shingles and cause damage to roof structures, walls, ceilings, and insulation. Ventilating your attic with a solar attic fan prevents ice dams from forming, helping you avoid costly repairs when the weather gets warmer.
Save yourself the headache of costly home repairs when the snow melts with a solar attic fan! Affordable, reliable, and easy to install, a solar attic fan truly is the gift that keeps on giving! A solar-powered attic fan offers year-round attic ventilation with zero power consumption, providing an economical and easy way to maintain an ideal attic temperature in both the summer and winter.
Remember if you are not managing your attic, it is managing you! To learn more about why a solar attic fan is the ideal year-round attic solution for your home, visit our friends at iSolar Solutions
