Creating a more energy-efficient home helps the environment while also reducing your utility bills. One suggestion that HVAC technicians have for reducing energy usage is adding an attic fan. But do attic fans really work? Read on to learn more about the different types of attic fans and how they can benefit your home.
Whole House Attic Fans
Whole house fans are designed to keep your home cool at night by utilizing the air outside. These types of fans are best suited to areas with a dryer climate because the temperatures at night tend to be lower in these areas. The fan itself is mounted into the floor of the attic above the central hallway of the home. Whole house attic fans work by drawing in cool air through the open windows in the attic. The hot air within the home is then ventilated out of the home, leaving only the cool air.
Does a Whole House Fan Work?
Whole house attic fans have been shown to reduce the energy usage of a central air conditioner by 10-15%. These fans work quickly, too, taking less than an hour to cool down your entire house. You can then keep the house cool by shutting all the windows so that none of the cool air escapes. Newer models of whole house attic fans are fairly quiet and have an automatic door that closes the opening when the fan is turned off.
There are some drawbacks that need to be taken into consideration when using a whole house attic fan. First of all, they take up a significant amount of room in the attic. In fact, the required ventilation needed for a whole house fan to work properly exceeds the minimum ventilation requirement set by building codes.
Attic Ventilation Fans
Ventilation fans – also known as power attic ventilators – operate by pushing out the hot attic air and pulling in the cool air from outside. They differ from whole house attic fans in two ways: they rely on vents to bring in cool air and rid the attic of hot air, and they are located within the slope or gable of an attic.
Do Power Attic Ventilators Work?
The whole purpose behind an attic ventilation fan is to save energy and protect the roof of the home. It successfully accomplishes both of these tasks by reducing the workload of the air conditioner and reducing the amount of heat going from the attic through the roof. For homeowners who have asphalt shingles installed on their roof, this is extremely important because the heat coming from underneath the roof can cause asphalt shingles to curl, thus weakening their integrity.
If you’re looking to reduce your energy bills and decrease the wear and tear on your air conditioner, contact Cote’s Mechanical, LLC for more information on our attic fan installation services. We can help you find the perfect attic fan to help keep your home cool all summer long.
