Solar powered fan for shed?

**DeFormula** · 04-21-2018, 06:34 PM

My lean-to style shed molds inside on the ceiling. I replaced the roof and don't want to do it again. It needs more ventilation. I don't really want to run power out to it to for a fan so I ordered a small solar fan off Amazon for about $60....junk. Next level up is around $200 didn't really want to spend that much and don't know if they're good either. The roof is open at the top and bottom and I always thought that would be enough ventilation but it is not. Maybe just adding some regular vents at both the low side and high side? Suggestions please.

**wrath** · 04-22-2018, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by DeFormula

My lean-to style shed molds inside on the ceiling. I replaced the roof and don't want to do it again. It needs more ventilation. I don't really want to run power out to it to for a fan so I ordered a small solar fan off Amazon for about $60....junk. Next level up is around $200 didn't really want to spend that much and don't know if they're good either. The roof is open at the top and bottom and I always thought that would be enough ventilation but it is not. Maybe just adding some regular vents at both the low side and high side? Suggestions please.

Where is the moisture coming from?

If it is that wet inside probably everything is rusting...

**DeFormula** · 04-22-2018, 10:03 AM

It takes a long time for the mold to form, well a few years anyway. It seems to form above where I park my tractor so I think it's possible it's from the engine heat of the tractor. Last year I started letting the tractor cool off before I put it in there, but that's not always possible and may not be the cause. First time when it molded it was about five years old and I just replaced a 2x3 ft section of board and the shingles above. Then last year the shed was about 15 years old and I put a complete new roof on and don't want to do it again, even if we live here 20 more years. May just ad a regular vent on each wall. That may move enough air through it. It's in the bright sun and in the summertime it's like a furnace in there! I suppose the moisture is coming up from the ground through the wooden floor? it sits on 4x4 wolmanized boards, and the floor is 3/4" plywood.

**ReiKo** · 04-22-2018, 12:07 PM

How is the top of the roof being vented?

**wrath** · 04-22-2018, 12:30 PM

Does it have a ridge vent and then separate soffit vents?

I have had reasonable luck cutting holes in the walls and placing vents about 20" from the ground. I have used nice ones or even cheap cold air return vents from a house. This allows cool air from near the ground (not all the way to the ground, the first 16" or so is fairly moist air) to be pulled into the shed when the hot air escapes the ridge vent.

Sounds to me like your moisture is coming from elsewhere if it has a floor in it. Is the deck of your mower always disgusting?

**DeFormula** · 04-22-2018, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by ReiKo

How is the top of the roof being vented?

It is a lean to style shed so there is about a 1" opening along the entire top edge of the shed. Ditto for the lower side. Always thought this would be enough but I guess not.

**DeFormula** · 04-22-2018, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by wrath

Does it have a ridge vent and then separate soffit vents?

Sounds to me like your moisture is coming from elsewhere if it has a floor in it. Is the deck of your mower always disgusting?

It has what kind of amounts to a ridge vent on both the low side and high side of the roof (lean to style shed). There are no soffits, it's a mere 96 sf.

The bottom of the mower deck is usually disgusting, yes.