Why is attic fan running in winter?

The attic fan works in winter because there is excess steam in the attic that causes the humdistat to turn on the fan to draw dry air from the outside through the static vents in the eaves or ceiling tiles, the roof vents, or the vents in the attic wall. Prevents moisture buildup During the winter, the heat is constantly running inside your home. As the heat increases, it can get trapped in the attic and the hot air is humid. The low outside temperatures cause the lower part of the roof to cool down, making the conditions in the attic even more humid.

When that moisture builds up, it can cause serious damage to your roof; not to mention mold and mildew thrive in damp conditions. Preventing ice buildup Ice damming is a serious problem in areas where it snows in winter. The warm air that accumulates in the attic heats the roof and melts the snow. This melted snow drips onto the eaves and eventually re-freezes, resulting in the formation of an ice dam under the eaves.

As the snow melts, it collects under the ice dam and makes its way under the shingles, returns to the attic and eventually drips to the roof. Yes, if you're struggling with ice buildup, run your attic fan in winter. If ice buildup is not a problem for you (which shouldn't be in a well-insulated attic), then there are fewer reasons to run the attic fan in winter. You may still want to run the attic fan in the winter if humidity in the attic is your problem.

Attic fans provide mechanical ventilation, using a fan to draw in cool air from outside and blow out warm, humid air. Air is drawn in through the attic fan and air is exhausted through the roof ventilation system to keep the attic cooler and drier, preventing ice and moisture problems all winter long.

attic fans

require electricity to operate, making this attic ventilation solution more expensive to operate than relying on natural attic ventilation through ventilation grilles. The fan is not for controlling humidity in summer.

The penthouses are hot and quite dry in summer. Attic humidity can be a problem in winter, however an electric attic fan is the wrong solution, as passive ventilation works well and consumes no energy. Some people use them to cool the attic in summer, but if you have proper insulation, it's also a waste of money. If it were me, I would disconnect it and throw it in the trash.

Georgia recently banned them because they are almost universally wrong and waste energy. Proper attic ventilation allows fresh, dry air from outside to enter the attic, while warm, humid air inside the attic can escape. Most other home problems that could be solved with attic fans are best solved with better insulation and air sealing. An attic fan can help combat all of these problems that your roof is subjected to in the winter months.

In short, dehumidifiers are a very common addition to attic fans, especially in the north with colder temperatures, which is why almost all fan manufacturers sell them as an accessory. You'll know that you've managed to understand how often you should use the attic fan when you realize that the rooms adjacent to the attic are cooler and more comfortable. Read on to learn more about the dangers of moisture buildup and how an attic fan can help prevent them. Fortunately, attic fans are designed not only to dissipate summer heat, but also to reduce winter humidity.

If you hadn't realized that the stats that come with the fans are cheap and not only can they be easily bent, I know mine in my garage, the new attic out of the box is 8 degrees apart. I understand the purpose of the attic fan to control humidity in summer, but I can't seem to find a solid answer as to whether or not it should work in winter when outdoor humidity is low. Using a fan to take warm air out of your attic and replace it with cool air from outside, solves the problem of ice buildup. For good attic insulation, one square foot of ventilation is recommended for every 300 cubic feet of space inside the attic.

If you take notes on how often you run the fan and how much heat is put on the roof adjacent to the attic, you will develop an idea of how often you should run the fan. This could be a good idea even if you can find the strength of your fan, as it is rare for a fan to pull the CFM as advertised. It's usually a matter of reviewing the fan owner's manual or perhaps the fan housing to understand the cubic feet per minute it blows. However, you can calculate a much more accurate time by dividing the power of your fan by the volume of the attic space.

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