Your air conditioner works extra hard battling the oppressive summer heat as it tries to keep the indoors comfortable during the day. The radiant heat from the sun that flows through your roof can also, over time, cause structural damage to the roof and even reduce the life expectancy of your air conditioning unit. Luckily, you can do something about it without breaking the bank.
Solar fans! Solar energy keeps the solar attic fan running during the day; it circulates the attic air and in return keeps your attic cooler. Your air conditioner doesn’t have to work so hard, which is a good investment for your roof, the home and your wallet! Now, when the sun disappears so does your powered solar fan, but by then the air is cooling down.
You can use both the state and federal solar tax credits for solar fans (Louisiana residents get 50% solar tax credits, 30% federal). For more information check out the Database of State Incentives for Renewable and Efficiency or DSIRE website.
Of course, there’s another small investment that will cut even more of your energy costs and that’s radiant barrier, a reflective material that when installed on the inside of your roof reflects 97% of that radiant heat before it even gets into your attic.
