Roof Hatch: how to select

Dornier

Hey guys & gals,

I've recently purchased the "safety in a bucket" kit to install an atticbreeze fan on my roof.

Knowing I'll be up there twice a year for Christmas lights, gutters, and to adjust my solar panel to increase exposure I thought of going the roof hatch way--rolling the dice climbing 28' is just something I'd rather not do. Safety first, speed second. I plan on putting a few permanent anchors up there to tie on to.

Q: how to go about choosing a hatch?

1. two-story, 8/12 roof, about 28' at the ridge;
2. Southeast Texas; and
3. No tree cover (to consider branches, sap, etc).

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Ps. just for laughs I've considered doing both the hatch and fan at the same time--to have an easy way back down.

joecaption

Why a fan and not a ridge vent?
A ridge vent will vent the whole roof, not just a circle.
No moving parts.
No power needed.
Looks better.

joecaption

http://www.bilco.com/foundations/sto...product=1S%2D1

Dornier

1. It's a solar fan giving 14 exchanges per hour at my volume and near peak exposure, and my roof gets unlimited sunlight throughout the day;

2. It's an easy install (20" hole and slits for flashing);

3. No power to run; when powered by the sun it responds to wireless settings on a portable hub downstairs. I'm even experimenting witha second panel, in series, mounted in a way to grab the a.m. sunlight to increase exposure;

4. It's on the backside so no curb view, and it matches my trim/shingles and has a relatively small profile.

5. I can qualify for a small tax credit too.

I'd just prefer not going up and down the ladder.