With heat waves shattering global records for electricity demand, the sustainability of power grids worldwide is being questioned like never before.
Sizzling summer temperatures in the United States and around the world this year have led to growing concerns that power outages will become more frequent in the years ahead. This is especially true as state suppliers struggle to meet growing air conditioning demand. When it comes to reducing the strain on our power grids, every little bit can help.
Solar attic fans are uniquely positioned to help buildings of all sizes lighten the load on their air conditioning systems. By installing one, property owners do their part to relieve the overall stress on power grids.
How do solar attic fans keep homes cool?
Most home attics are already ventilated with built-in passive vents. However, these are often not enough to achieve sufficient ventilation alone, especially during heat waves. Because passive vents rely solely on differences in air density between indoor and outdoor environments to circulate air, they often need a mechanical boost when summer temperatures rise.
Studies have shown that solar powered attic fans, like iSolar Solution’s popular 20W-MOD-SNV, can help homes cut air conditioning usage by as much as six per cent. They do this by actively channeling out hot air that builds up in a home’s attic. The motorized fan gives a much-needed ventilation boost when soaring temperatures get out of hand.
As a result, indoor temperatures can be lowered by as much as 10C during the summer. And this is all done without drawing any additional electricity from the power grid. By reducing air conditioning usage, electrical usage can be cut by as much as 460 kw/h over the summer months.
How does this help preserve our power grids?
These numbers from a single home may not seem like much at first. However, statistics gathered by the International Energy Agency show a bigger picture of energy usage that is increasingly concerning.
The agency says global reliance on air conditioning has skyrocketed over the past 50 years due to rising living standards, population growth and “more frequent and extreme heatwaves.” Two billion air conditioning units actively pumping out cold air in this month alone. These trends are expected to grow by another 40 per cent over the next decade.
By using solar attic fans to cool hot attics, integrity of their roof’s shingles is also preserved. These can be severely damaged by overheated attics. Disposal of toxic and non-recyclable roofing materials like shingles has long been recognized as an environmental and public health hazard. Homeowners can help buck this trend by prolonging the lifespan of their roofing materials with a solar attic fan.
In areas where hot temperatures come hand-in-hand with high humidity, solar attic fans also ventilate moisture that can get trapped in a home’s attic. This prevents the buildup of mould and mildew that can lead to costly repairs later on. Cutting down on the need for costly repairs, and the additional waste they generate, is yet another benefit of solar attic fans.
To learn more about how an iSolar Solutions solar attic fan can help your home stay cool, please contact one of our knowledgeable staff at 1-844-684-7723, or by email at info@isolarsolutions.com. For roofers, iSolar Solutions also offers special discounts and free shipping. For more information on becoming an iSolar partner and contractor partner, visit our website.
