What Are the Benefits of Attic Fans?
- Asphalt Roof Protection. A primary benefit of attic fans is that they help maintain the integrity of asphalt roof...
- A Cooler House. During hot weather, the sun will heat the roof, which will transfer to the attic. Attic fans remove warm...
- Discourages Mold Growth. Without good circulation, moisture can accumulate and result in the...
Do attic fans really help that much?
Yes, Attic fans can make a difference. They can provide a cooling effect that reduces temperature significantl y in your house. Using the simple physics principle of air circulation, it can draw in cool air while letting out the warm air. It will offer you more benefits that include: 1. Lowering Your Electricity Bill
Do attic fans really work?
Yes, absolutely attic fans really work and can make a huge difference! They can provide a cooling effect that reduces temperature significantly in your house. Attic fans really work because their design and purpose are crucial to the temperature of any home.
Are attic fans cost effective?
The average attic fan draws less than 300 watts, making it seem like an energy-efficient home improvement, but some professionals in the field claim that attic fans are not a cost-saving investment. Many users, however, claim an attic fan is a money saver, but they do not offer documented proof of the savings.
What does an attic exhaust fan do?
The Benefits of an Attic Fan
- Increase energy efficiency. By cooling down your attic, you can decrease your air conditioning. ...
- Cool down a second story in your home. If you often find the second story just is never as cool as your first story, this could be due to heat ...
- Decrease the possibility of damage to your roof. ...
- Supports your attic insulation. ...
- Solar fans are free to run. ...
What are the pros and cons of an attic fan?
There are numerous advantages to installing an attic fan, but below are the most important benefits...Asphalt Roof Protection. ... A Cooler House. ... Stop Mold Growth. ... Eliminate Ice Damming. ... Carbon Monoxide Risk. ... May Increase Energy Costs. ... Roof Leak Risk.
Do attic fans really help?
Based on our industry experience, the answer is, yes. Attic fans do really work. They will help to circulate air in your attic and ventilate the space so that it stays closer to the outside temperature.
When should you use an attic fan?
Attic fans work best at night when the outside temperature cools and that air is drawn into your warm home to cool it off.
Should you leave your attic fan on all the time?
No. Running your attic fan for too long runs the risk of blowing out the fan motor. Further, nighttime is usually cooler, so you do not need to run your attic fan as often. It is ok to run the fan for a few hours at a time, but then you should let it cool off before firing it up again.
Will fan in attic cool house temp?
Attic ventilation fans help cool air your attic by pushing out the stifling hot air from inside the attic and bringing in cool air from outside. This prevents hot air from seeping into your home and driving up the temperature in the living space, which reduces the load on your air conditioner.
Should I run my attic fan in the winter?
It's true. An attic fan in winter can help prevent ice dams, reduce moisture in your attic during winter months, and prevent mold and mildew buildup due to moisture problems in the attic.
Does an attic fan use a lot of electricity?
On average, an attic fan uses less than 300 watts of electricity. If it were to run constantly, it would use up to about 180 kWh per month. Unfortunately, this cost can add up.
When should I turn off my attic fan?
Turn the fan off when you're done, or let the fan turn off on its own if you have it set to run for a certain amount of time. If your attic fan has a thermostat, set it to kick on when your attic space reaches a certain temperature.
Do attic fans help with humidity?
Yes, attic fans will help with humidity. During the winter, moist air produced by daily activities rises to the attic and gets stuck there. During the summer, the attic can get severely hot and become extremely moist. An attic fan will reduce the workload on your air conditioner as well as help dissipate the humidity.
Do you have to open windows with attic fan?
Each house is different so we advise our customers to experiment and see what works best for you and your home. Never operate the unit without opening a window - this can create negative pressure in the house and cause dangerous back drafting with gas appliances.
What do attic fans do in the winter?
Attic ventilation fans offer mechanical ventilation, using a fan to draw in cool, outside air and force out warm, moist air. Air is drawn in through the attic fan and air is expelled through the roof vent system to keep your attic cooler and drier, preventing ice and moisture issues throughout the winter.
Should windows be open when using attic fan?
Safe Operating The number of windows opened should be equal to the amount of Net Free Venting that each fan requires. If you do not open the proper amount of windows, you will increase the chances of back-drafting. Back-drafting happens when outside air is pulled into the home through vent pipes.
Do attic fans make a difference?
Attic fans can make a difference in a number of ways. In the summer, a properly installed attic fan can remove excessive heat build up, providing c...
Do attic fans really cool down a house?
Attic fans can help your house feel cooler on hot days. With that being said, they are not going to cool your entire house. To maximize the cooling...
Are attic fans good or bad?
Attic fans are good at what they do: removing unwanted heat and moisture from an attic. They have earned a bad reputation because of poor quality p...
Should an attic fan run all the time?
Running an attic fan all the time in theory is a good idea. You want your attic to be close to the outside temperature. However, if you have a powe...
Why use an attic fan?
Unfortunately attic vents on their own do not complete the job as well. Attic humidity can compromise the structure of the roof. Therefore, using attic fans helps to eliminate humidity which in effect extends the life of your roof.
What are the pros and cons of an attic fan?
Pros and Cons of an Attic Fan. During the hot summer months, the sun will warm your roof and the entire structure will absorb the heat. Heat starts in the attic and makes its way to the house’s framing. This transfer heats up the home’s living spaces if air circulation can’t occur.
When is an attic fan effective?
An attic fan can be used temporarily during the summer to decrease the electric bill, but it won’t be the best option in the long run.
Can natural gas water heaters cause backdraft?
Natural gas water heaters can cause a backdraft and unleash carbon monoxide gas into the home. Attics that have nominal natural ventilation and R-19 ceiling insulation will not benefit from attic fans, because the insulation slows heat from traveling to the living spaces.
Why is an attic fan important?
In general, a high-quality attic fan can provide ongoing active ventilation to protect your, support insulation systems, and help provide some cooling benefits in certain climates.
Why is moisture bad for a roof?
Moisture is the enemy of a strong roof and could lead to expensive damage. Supports your attic insulation. Excessive heat and humidity can lead to depleting your attic’s insulation. An attic fan removes hot, humid air from the attic, taking pressure off of your insulation materials. Solar fans are free to run.
Why do attic fans cost less?
Because attic fans take away some of the work that your air conditioning would be doing, you will spend less on running your air conditioning. However, running an electric fan in attics could mean the cost just goes towards the attics rather than the air conditioner.
How long does a solar attic fan last?
Your fan will run 12 months of the year without costing you a dime after installation. Read our review on the best solar attic fans.
What is an attic vent?
They are one of the more popular types of attic vents. When installed on the ceiling of your attic, they circulate the air at the top of your house. The fan takes the hot and humid air that sits in your attic, circulates it, and pushes it out of the house’s upper space.
How to reduce air conditioning in attic?
By cooling down your attic, you can decrease your air conditioning. Your air conditioner is currently having to work against the sauna that is sitting on top of your living space. Give it a hand by cooling your home’s upper space to outdoor temperatures before your turn up the AC. Cool down a second story in your home.
How hot is the attic?
As attics reach 150-160 degrees, much hotter than it even is outside, this can warm your house overall. You can even take your own attic’s temperature to see how hot yours is. Alternatively, you can schedule an attic inspection to get more detailed insights from thermal imaging tools.
How Attic Fans Work
Fans help you regulate the heat flow in spaces such as your attic. Your attic is one of the hottest places in your home for reasons such as:
Benefits of an Attic Fan
The fan helps to cool down your attic, which will reduce the work your AC has to perform in controlling temperatures. An AC that has to work hard for long periods often places a significant dent in your energy bills.
Conclusion
Being in the know about how heat levels in your attic can affect the overall temperature of the house, as well as being aware of how not properly ventilating your attic can lead to damage is the first step in ensuring you make the right decisions for your home.
What are the benefits of an attic fan?
Here are some of the benefits you can get from an attic fan: Increased Energy Efficiency. Attic fans are incredibly efficient. They use a fraction of the electricity your air conditioning system uses. They also decrease your need for air conditioning, which lowers your monthly utility bills.
How does an attic fan work?
An attic fan pulls air into the attic from the outdoors using the soffit vents you should already have installed in the eaves. As the attic fan draws outdoor air into the attic, it vents hot, stale air out through attached dormers.
How does an attic fan affect the temperature of a house?
By removing the hot air that sits at the top of your house, an attic fan lowers the temperature in the rooms below, which then lowers the temperature throughout your home. Extended Life of Your Roof.
Why does my attic keep getting hot?
The answer is because the temperature of your attic can negatively affect the temperature in the rest of your home. If you’re spending money to run your air conditioner but the attic stays scorching hot, your A/C must work overtime.
Does a roof last longer in the summer?
Extended Life of Your Roof. If you’ve ever climbed up into your attic during the summer, you know that’s where all the heat and humidity is, which is the number one contributor to mold growth. Your roof will last significantly longer with adequate ventilation and reduced humidity that comes from attic fan use.
How does an attic fan work?
An attic ventilation fan works by sucking the hot air from the attic. However, the typical attic ventilation fan does not pull in cool air from the outside. It only cools off the attic and ventilates the house. But in cooling off the attic, it also cools off the rooms below by about 10 degrees. There are different types ...
What type of ventilation fan is used in the attic?
There are different types of attic ventilation fans such as: Solar attic fans that use no electricity. Electric attic fans set on a thermostat. Electric attic fans that work with a light switch. Whole house attic fans that pull in air from outside through the home’s windows.
Why is my attic vent loud?
Too Much Noise. Some people claim that the humming from the fan is too loud or irritating. However, this is usually due to some kind of faulty installation or damage. A properly installed and maintained attic ventilation fan typically runs fairly quiet, so you should barely hear it.
Why do older homes have attic fans?
Many of the older homes have attic fans because air conditioning really has not been around that long. Back in the old days, you could either put a window fan in your window or turn on the attic ventilation fan to cool off your house. But nowadays we have air conditioners in all shapes and sizes.
Why do we need a whole house fan?
The whole house fan also helps with ventilation since it brings in the air from outside and pushes out your inside air. But it will also bring in pollen and other allergens so if you are allergic, you may want to reconsider.
Is it better to run a solar fan in the attic?
A solar attic ventilation fan can lower your utility bills by a lot if you have enough sunlight to power your fan. Solar-powered fans are also safer to use than electric. However, many experts claim that they do not run at the best time of day to make them effective since they only work when the sun is shining.
Can you get moisture in your attic?
When it is hot and you have your air conditioner running, the cool air from your main floor and the hot air from the attic meet, causing condensation and moisture in the attic. And since most attics are dark, moist spaces filled with wood, mold and mildew are common without plenty of ventilation. Yes, you paid good money to get insulation ...
