Do attic fans really help?

An attic fan moves cool air up and through the house as it blows out warm air.

Attic fans

can work even better when you have good attic insulation. If the HVAC system breaks down, you can use the attic fan to try to lower the temperatures in your home. Even though an attic exhaust fan can gradually reduce the temperature of a very hot attic, using a fan does not stop the radiant heat source.

During the day, any cooler air introduced by the fan will be immediately heated by the surrounding structure. At night, after the sun's radiation source stops, the structure will remain warm for some time. Any cooler air brought in from outside will eventually lower the temperature of the attic structure, but that will happen VERY slowly. As soon as the sun rises in the morning, the radiant heating process will begin again.

An attic ventilation fan can help reduce humidity in the attic and therefore inhibit mold growth. Attic fans are designed to cool warm attics by drawing cooler outside air from attic vents (ceiling and gable) and pushing warm air to the outside. However, if your attic has blocked the ceiling vents and is not well sealed from the rest of the house, attic fans will suck the cold air conditioner out of the house and bring it into the attic. This will consume more energy and make your air conditioner work harder, increasing your summer utility bill.

Attic ventilation fans help cool attic air by expelling stifling hot air from inside the attic and bringing in cool air from outside. This prevents warm air from leaking into your home and raising the temperature in the living space, reducing the load on the air conditioner. A primary benefit of attic fans is that they help maintain the integrity of asphalt roofing shingles to decrease deterioration and prevent deformation. Many people do not know that a poorly ventilated attic accelerates the aging of tiles and deforms the wooden lining of the roof.

They won't make your roof last forever, but attic fans can reduce wear and tear, improving the years of use you get from your roof and delaying costly replacement costs. Locate the thermostat (small metal box) normally mounted on a beam or truss next to the fan in the attic. The primary function of attic fans is to promote airflow within the attic, which can help reduce temperature and humidity levels and provide several valuable benefits. I had thought about attic fans, but, as usual, I do research for weeks before making an “informed decision”.

Attic fans are designed to prevent “normal rain,” but during hurricanes, the force of the wind can push water across the sheet roof. A Haas certified electrician & Sons can install an attic fan in your home that will increase your comfort, lower your utility bills, and extend the life of your roofing materials. Three years ago I wrote an article titled Don't Let Your Attic Suck: Electric Attic Fans Are a Bad Idea. However, this risk can be mitigated by following the manufacturer's instructions for the electric attic fan.

The actual time period was probably longer, since the first night the attic temperature would surely have been higher after 3 in the morning had it not been for the exhausting heat of the fan. You can tell if your home has negative air pressure by slightly opening a window while the attic fan is running. An attic fan can help reduce that temperature by up to 50 degrees, which translates into a temperature up to 5 degrees lower inside your home. In general, the energy needed to run the fan negates any electrical savings from better attic ventilation.

If you have good continuous ceiling ventilation and a ventilation grille, any type of attic fan can be totally unnecessary. I mean, I said that when you use an electric attic fan in a typical house, yes, it will cool the attic. .