One of my colleagues who is also a solar tubular skylight and solar attic fan expert, sent me this image of his laser thermometer on a roof a few days ago. I thought I’d take a moment to thank the hard working individuals that work in extreme conditions every day to improve the lives and pocketbooks for Southwest Florida residents and business owners. Roof surface conditions routinely exceed 150°F, and working inside the attic can be extremely uncomfortable and dangerous. Every precaution is taken to ensure a safe work experience, but discomfort is part of the job. As a result, some work may take a little extra time this time of year.

Given that roof and attic conditions are what they are, it’s also a perfect time to mention solar attic fans. Reducing your attic temperature is the first step in reducing the heat transferred to your air conditioning duct work in the attic. Have you ever felt that slug of hot air that comes out of your A/C grills when the air conditioning first turns on? That’s attic heat that gets into your ducts and increases your cooling costs.

For many homes a single solar attic fan can reduce temperatures up to 50 degrees (according to the manufacturer). According to our installers, a 30 degree temperature reduction is routinely seen, making work in the attic bearable, at least for short duration in the summer. Any reduction in attic heat is a money and roof saver, and with no operating cost and quiet operation, solar attics fans are the next best thing to completely sealed foam insulated attics (and a lot more economical).

Solar attic fans can be installed in a little as 45 minutes, and are eligible for tax credits!