In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva explains how to keep your attic cool with a fan activated by the sun.
Steps for Installing a Solar Attic Fan
- In the attic, mark the location of the solar-powered vent between two roof rafters.
- Drive a nail through the center of the vent location.
- Install roof brackets and a fall-arrest system to the roof.
- Scribe the outline of the vent’s flashing on the roof using a homemade dowel compass.
- Cut shingles along a circular outline with a utility knife.
- Pull nails and remove shingles from within the circle.
- Use a compass to scribe a hole for the vent onto the roof sheathing.
- Cut a hole in the roof with a reciprocating saw.
- Remove shingles from around the vent opening.
- Apply a continuous bead of tri-polymer roofing cement around the hole.
- Set the roof vent over the hole, then screw the fan’s flashing to the roof.
- Apply more caulking around the flashing.
- Replace all the roof shingles around the vent fan with 1 ½-inch roofing nails.
