In addition to being visually unobtrusive,
Alternatively, install passive vents such as gable, soffit and ridge vents, which are openings in the roof that allow hot air to escape. No matter what ventilation system you go with, make sure there's one square foot of venting area for every 300 square feet of floor space.
Whole house fans. A whole house fan is a primary natural cooling device that can significantly reduce or even eliminate the need for 'manufactured' cool air.
Whole house attic fans have become less common in new houses for several reasons: Energy Efficiency Standards: Modern homes are designed to be more energy-efficient, often incorporating better insulation and sealed envelopes. This reduces the need for ventilation that whole house fans provide.
Electrician, HVAC tech, or handyman should all be able to handle it. Handyman will be the cheapest.
Unless you have previous electrical experience, you should always hire a licensed electrician for any electrical projects. Your electrician will discuss available options and help you select the best fan for your application.
Winter Air Leakage: Whole house fans can hurt you more in the winter than they help you in the summer. Older models especially can be a big source of air leakage in the attic, causing your heating bills to skyrocket as warm air escapes and cold air seeps in.
Many people don't know that a poorly ventilated attic accelerates shingle aging and warps the roof's wood sheathing. They won't make your roof last forever, but attic fans may reduce the wear and tear, improving the years of use you get out of your roof and delaying expensive replacement costs.
If you had to choose just one—and your attic has a great need for ventilation—an attic fan is your best bet. Attic fans in the $300 to $400 range can move upwards of 5,000 CFM. For lower capacity ventilation at a steep cost savings, a ridge vent might be your best choice.
The Benefits of Attic Fans. By improving ventilation in your home's attic, installing an attic fan can help reduce moisture and even lower the temperature within your entire house.
In most cases, we recommend soffit vents for intake and a ridge vent for exhaust. For homes that cannot have a ridge vent, box vents are generally the second best option for exhaust. And for homes that cannot have soffit ventilation, you will find that fascia vents to be your second best bet.
By removing hot air from your attic, attic fans can help reduce the workload on your air conditioner, which can lead to lower energy bills. They can also prevent ice damming during the winter months, which can cause damage to your roof and home.
On a 100-degree day, an attic can reach temperatures of 170 degrees or more due to the radiant heat effect.
Installation of a solar fan in an attic can provide better circulation. "It's really more about comfort," says Danny. "Solar powered fans can make a real difference if you regularly use the space adjacent to your attic. I also use a gable-end fan above my garage that makes the space noticeably cooler."
Ridge vents work without any power. They're super awesome when paired with soffit vents, creating a cool airflow loop - cool air enters through the soffit vents, and the hot air exits through the ridge vents. Attic fans are a bit different because they actively move hot air out and bring cool air in.
While ridge vents have many advantages, they are not always ideal. In cold climates, ridge vents can allow snow into the attic. They're also more expensive than box vents and won't work on all types of roofs.
How Does an Attic Fan Work? If you're considering an attic fan for your home, you're probably wondering, “How does an attic fan work?” The basic principle of these fans is that they push hot air out of attic spaces.
On hot summer days, you can run your attic fan throughout the day and night. If temperatures cool significantly overnight, you can choose to turn off your attic fan until the morning.
An attic fan's ability to cool down the attic by up to 50 degrees and maintain your attic temperature within 10 degrees of the outside temperature at all times, is something that the A/C can't and will equate to a home that is cooler and an A/C unit that gets far less work than it usually does, which could save you ...
While having both types of ventilation isn't necessary, some homes need more ventilation in their attic space than others, and that's where this pair comes in. You may need to use one or more attic fans along with a ridge vent in a large, warm attic space that needs more ventilation.
There's a wealth of advice on how to cool an attic, such as getting passive vents like ridge vents and switching to a light-colored metal roof. But the big four hot attic solutions are: installing a radiant barrier, attic insulation, attic ventilation, and sealing cracks & air leaks.
By removing hot air and circulating air-conditioned air, an attic fan may improve the energy efficiency of your HVAC system. Prevents ice in winter and humidity in summer. When hot air builds up in your attic in the winter, it can melt the snow on your roof that then refreezes, causing damage to your roof.
You don't need to have your attic fun running all of the time. Having it running only when it's needed maximizes its benefits for your home's AC and overall energy efficiency.