With our solar attic fan ratings, you can compare units side by side using our Head To Head tool.
You can compare the 50 different models from thirteen brands in ten categories such as warranty, control types, mounting location & where they are made.
You can also read the individual reviews of each brand below.
Our simple rating system gives each brand a color code and a star rating. If the card is green, then, that is one of the top picks from HvacRepairGuy. If the card is yellow, then, that would be a budget pick from HvacRepairgGuy. If the card is red, then, the brand is not recommended by HvacRepairGuy. With our solar attic fan reviews you can cut through the sales hype and find value. It truly is like you were taking a repairman shopping with you!
The Aura solar attic fans are a combination of the traditional wind powered turbine attic ventilators and a solar powered fan. They are available in 10 sizes from 4 to 24 inches and with 5 stack heights of from 2 to 12 inches. They are constructed of aluminum to resist corrosion but the units are not very good looking on the roof. They operate anytime that the wind is blowing or the sun is out which is not very good in areas that require heating the home. They offer a retrofit model that is designed to mount to the existing stack of a traditional turbine fan. The guarantee on the units is not very good when compared to other brands.
This brand is a part of Gibraltar Industries and offers both roof mount and gable mounted models but the guarantee on the units is not very good when compared to other brands. The units do not use a thermostat which means that, whenever the sun is out, the units are running. This would be acceptable in very warm areas but not in areas where a portion of the year requires heating the home. The SC8 model is roof mounted and has an 800 CFM capacity and the panel can be tilted and rotated to maximize the solar gain while the 9025TR model has a capacity of 1820 CFM. The NPSG8 model is gable mounted with an 800 CFM capacity while the 1125APV model has a 1680 CFM capacity. The units are only available through their approved contractor network.
This brand is made in the USA, can be purchased through their website or Amazon store and they are backed by a very good guarantee. They offer kits to add a solar attic fan to an existing attic gable vent. The kits include a 12 inch fan, on/off switch, wiring, mounting hardware, and either a 50 or 100 watt solar panel. They offer an optional thermostat that is made by Selco which is good for winter time to save on your heating bills. The kits are very reasonably priced and are an easy DIY install project.
This brand is made in the USA, can be purchased through their website and are backed by an unmatched lifetime guarantee. The SFA models are available in three sizes and have adjustable solar panels to maximize the solar gain. They are low profile units that are available in fourteen different powder coat baked on finishes so they can blend into the roof and be virtually unnoticed. The SFD models are available in four sizes and the solar panel can be remote mounted which is good for cases where the fan must be mounted on the north side of the roof. The GM models are gable mounted and do not include the intake grille while the WM models have the fan and intake grille as one piece for easy installation. All of the units are controlled by attic temperature which is good in the winter time to save on your heating bills.
This brand is made in Canada and can be purchased on Amazon but their guarantee is not as good as other brands. The 10W model is a low profile roof mounted solar attic fan for sloped roofs while the Flat Roof model is an all aluminum model that is made for flat rubber roofs. Both have a 400 CFM capacity, use brushless DC motors, and have integrated solar panels but they do not include a thermostat for fan control. The Gable model has a 1600 CFM capacity with a remote mounted tiltable panel and it includes a thermostatic control.
This brand offers roof mounted fans in two sizes and they feature brushless ECM motors which are durable and quiet. The 10 Watt model has a built in solar panel and is controlled by a thermostat while the 32 Watt model simply runs when the sun is out and turns off when the sun is not shining. That is not very good for cooler climates as it wastes energy during the heating season. The 32 Watt model has an adjustable panel so that it can be rotated and tilted to maximize the solar gain and it has a 2500 CFM airflow capacity. The warranty on the brand is not very good when compared to the other brands that are available.
The 25 Watt Solar Attic Fan Kit includes a gable mounted fan with a foldable remote solar panel and it has a 1200 CFM capacity. The unit does not include a thermostat which is not very good for cooler climates as it wastes energy during the heating season. The AM-SV-1 roof mount fan is a cheap unit that has a built-in solar panel but a very limited capacity of 11.6 CFM. It has a built-in lithium battery but Lithium-ion batteries are known to be sensitive to high temperatures, external pressure, and electrical surges, which can lead to thermal runaway and subsequent fires. The warranty on the brand is not very good when compared to the other brands that are available.
This brand is made in China for TLM International Inc and can be purchased on their website or on Amazon. The ILG8SF301A model features a brushless DC motor for quiet and efficient operation as well as a tiltable solar panel to maximize the solar gain. The units include a smart thermostat with a function to disable it for continuous operation and they have a 1750 CFM cpacity. They include an AC/DC power adapter so the unit can be ran at night and offer an optional on/off switch and a screen guard. The units are backed by a pretty good guarantee.
This brand is from GAF and can be purchased at Lowe's or The Home Depot. The PRSOLAR2 model is a low profile roof mounted fan with a 750 CFM capacity while the PRHYBRID2 model can automatically switch between solar power and grid power for those cloudy days. They use durable brushless motors and are backed by a good guarantee but the panels are fixed on the units. The ERVSOLAR model has a tilt solar panel and a 525 CFM capacity but they are only available with a galvanized steel finish which really sticks out on the roof. The ERVHYBRID model can automatically switch from solar to grid power, has a tilted panel, and a 500 CFM capacity. The PGSOLAR model is for gable mounting and has a 685 CFM capacity and all of the models are thermostatically controlled but their guarantee is not as good as some of the other brands.
This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their Amazon Store. The 1470 model has a built-in thermostat for fan control with a durable brushless DC motor and a 1470 CFM capacity. They include a power adapter so that they can switch to grid power when the sun is not shining and they include a remote control although another remote control is probably the last thing that a homeowner needs. They have four speed settings and four timer settings but those features don't serve any real purpose. They have a tilt panel to maximize solar gain and airflow but it does not rotate. The units feature aluminum construction for corrosion resistance but their guarantee is not very good when compared to other brands.
This brand is made in the USA and is backed by a very good guarantee but they are only sold through a limited dealer network. The roof mount models are available in five sizes and feature a tilted solar panel but they do not rotate to maximize solar power gain and they are available in three color finishes. The Ultra Low-Profile model has a fixed panel and a 1597 CFM capacity while the Gable Mount models are available in four sizes. The units do not come with a thermostat for control but they are offered as an optional accessory.
This brand offers both roof mount and gable mounted models and the guarantee on the solar panel is good but the warranty on the actual fan is not very good when compared to other brands. The units use durable and quiet brushless DC motors and have a built-in thermostat to control the fans with an AC adapter to allow operation at night. The PVSFR-35 model is roof mounted and has a 1300 CFM capacity with a tiltable solar panel to maximize solar gain but the panel does not rotate. The PVSFW-35 model is gable mounted with a remote tilt solar panel and has a 1200 CFM capacity.
This brand is made in the USA by QC Manufacturing INC and the units can be purchased through their website or Amazon Store. The fans use durable ECM motors, are controlled by a thermostat, and are backed by a good guarantee. They have an inverter to automatically shift to grid power when the sun is not shining. The AFR SLR-40 model is roof mounted with a tilt panel and a 1217 CFM capacity while the AFG SLR-30 model is gable mounted with a remote tilt panel and a capacity of 1217 CFM and the AFG SLR-40 model has a 1486 CFM capacity.
This brand offers both roof and gable mounted fans with an option for dual power to the fans for areas where attic cooling is required even at night. The units can be purchased directly from the manufacturer or on Amazon and are backed by a very good warranty. The Builder Series models are available in three sizes and are controlled by a thermostat and a humidistat where they turn on at 80 degrees or 75% humidity and off at 65 degrees or 55% humidity. They include the hybrid power adapter as a standard feature but are only available in the color black. The low profile and Gable Mount models are less noticeable and have a 1280 CFM capacity.
This brand is made in the USA and can be purchased on Amazon. The RoofBlaster 2.0 model features a solar panel that is literally bolted onto the attic fan and looks ridiculous but at least it is a low profile fan. It is available in five colors but has a very small 35.2 CFM capacity. The Mega RoofBlaster 2.0 model is a better choice as it has a tiltable panel that at least looks like it was installed by a professional. It too has a relatively small 96 CFM capacity and the fans are relatively expensive considering their lack of performance and the fact that they are not thermostatically controlled.
This brand is made in the USA but is only sold through authorized dealers and it is not easy to locate a dealer. The units do not come with a standard thermostat control but it is offered as a factory installed option. Their five blade fan and aerodynamically designed housing maximize the airflow on the roof mounted models and they are available in either high or low profile units. They use durable and efficient ECM motors and have a weather resistant powder coated housing. The Tilt Series is available in two sizes and allow positioning the panel to maximize solar gain while the Embedded Series offers a 900 CFM model where the panel is embedded in the housing. The Remote Series offers four sizes of units where the solar panel can be remote mounted which is good for cases where the fan must be mounted on the north side of the roof while the Gable Series units are available in three sizes.
The SR1800 Series features low profile roof mounted fans with a tilt solar panel but, if you do not need to tilt the panel, it is recessed into the unit. The units are thermostatically controlled and have an 1825 CFM capacity. They are available in black, brown, or weatherwood colors and are backed by a very good warranty. The units have durable brushless DC motors and can be purchased directly through the manufacturer's website.
These units are made by Solatube International Inc but they are only available through their dealer network and their guarantee is not as good as some of the other brands. They offer two sizes of roof-mounted units and they are available in either low profile or high profile models. They feature durable and efficient ECM motors but they do not include a standard thermostat for control although they offer them as an optional accessory. The IM 1500 model is designed to be added to an existing passive attic vent for an easy conversion to solar powered venting.
This brand is made in the USA and can be purchased through their Amazon Store. The units use durable ECM motors and are backed by a very good guarantee. The roof mounted models are low profile so that they are less noticeable on the roof. The Flat Base models are available in four sizes but the larger two sizes have a better guarantee for some baffling reason. The FB 1650 TLT FT model has a tilting panel so that you can maximize the solar gain and CFM while the Gable models are available in four sizes.
This brand is made in China and can be purchased through their website or Amazon Store. The JBSF-320G unit has a built-in thermostat for fan control with a durable brushless DC motor and a 1230 CFM capacity. They include a power adapter so that they can switch to grid power when the sun is not shining and they include a remote control although another remote control is probably the last thing that a homeowner needs. They have a tilt panel to maximize solar gain and airflow but it does not rotate. The guarantee is not very good when compared to other brands.
This brand is made in the USA and features all metal construction for fire resistance and a lifetime guarantee but they are only available through authorized dealers. The standard roof mount model is a low profile fan with an integrated panel while the adjustable model allows for installation in less than ideal roof locations. The fan housing and flashing are made from aircraft grade spun-formed aluminum so they will not rust. The inner housing system is aerodynamically designed to produce maximum exhaust while the outer shell is powder coated for durability and does not lower the home's curb appeal.
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