What is the point of a whole house fan?

Author: Georgiana Hintz  |  Last update: Monday, July 21, 2025

A whole house fan draws cool air in through the windows and can bring down the temperature of your house significantly in less than an hour, depending on the external temperature.

What are the negatives of a whole house fan?

Whole house fans which are large enough to create a breeze through the house can sometimes produce unintended effects such as noise, heat loss, and house depressurization. This can be improved with more attic vents and window area to replace the exhausted air. You must open windows.

When should you use a whole house fan?

The cooling effect of whole house fans comes from the air circulation they generate, rather than from any cooling or heating components. They are most effective when outdoor temperatures are lower than indoor temperatures, as they quickly draw in the cooler outdoor air while exhausting warmer indoor air.

What are the benefits of a whole house fan?

Improved Ventilation: Whole house fans provide excellent ventilation, helping to reduce indoor air pollutants, which are generally much more concentrated than pollutants in the outdoor air. Lower Operating Costs: Because they use less energy, whole house fans have lower operating costs compared to central AC systems.

Why don't people use whole house fans anymore?

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.

How Does a Whole House Fan Work? | Whole House Fans 101

Is it OK to run a whole house fan all night?

Important Operating Tips

We recommend running the whole house fan all night. The goal is to cool your entire house down, not just the air. It takes time to pull the heat out of the sheetrock, structure and contents of a house.

Do whole house fans use a lot of electricity?

By contrast, a whole house fan has a motor in the 1/4 to 1/2 hp range, uses 120 to 600 watts, and costs around 1¢ to 5¢ per hour of use.

How many windows should you open with a whole house fan?

When running a whole house fan if you don't open windows it makes a loud suction noise to make it very obvious that there aren't windows opened. Make sure to follow these important tips safety tips when using a whole house fan: Make sure you have the 2-4 windows open 4-8 inches.

Is it expensive to run a whole house fan?

Whole-house fans cost significantly less to run than a window AC unit. You'll pay an average of $0.01 and $0.05 per hour to run a whole-house fan compared to $0.06 to $0.88 per hour for the cost to run a window AC, depending on its size and the size of your home.

Should you run whole house fan in winter?

Many homeowners in colder climates may not be aware how beneficial their whole house fan can be during the winter. Believe it or not, using your whole house fan is highly recommended for use in every season. One great reason is that a whole house fan acts as both a ventilation system and an air conditioner.

How long does it take a whole house fan to cool a house?

How Long Will It Take To Cool My Home And How Long Should I Keep The Fan On? Part 2 On average you should run the fan for 4-5 hours to ensure the attic is cooled. The attic is what keeps the home hot. We always recommend the use of a timer.

Is a whole house fan a good investment?

If you live in a climate where whole house fans are effective and value energy efficiency, a whole house fan can be a worthwhile investment. However, if you live in a very hot or humid climate the benefits may be more limited.

When should you not use a whole house fan?

Do not run your whole house fan during the day unless the temperature outside is cooler than the house is inside, though you may want to run the fan during the day to push air out of the attic. To do so, direct airflow from either the basement or the shady side of the home.

Do whole-house fans bring in dust?

Many homeowners may think their house will get dustier by running the Advanced Whole House Fan. However, due to the amount of air an Advanced Whole House Fan moves when properly sized to the home, dust does not have any time to settle in the home!

Does a whole house fan improve air quality?

Whole house fans can be extremely effective for improving air quality and comfort in a home. Designed to create better ventilation, cooling and air circulation, these units can be both energy-efficient and extremely effective.

Do ventilation fans use a lot of electricity?

In general, ventilation fans are products with low energy consumption. A commonly used ventilation fan appears to use an average of 75W to 100W of electricity per hour. Considering that the fan is on all day, it is seen that 24x 75 = 1800Wat. Likewise, 24x100 = 2400W consumption is taken into account.

Are whole house fans better than attic fans?

Definitions of whole house fan vs. attic fan vary by region, causing some confusion. In a nutshell, whole house fans are designed to run after sundown, using cool night air to ventilate and cool your entire living space. Attic fans are designed to run on hot sunny days to clear super-heated air from your attic.

Can you leave the whole house fan on all night?

It's best to run a whole-house fan all night. Overnight operation will help cool the home's structure in addition to the inside air.

Can you run a whole house fan with the windows closed?

A: Technically, yes, but we do not recommend this. In order for the home ventilation system to work correctly, windows need to be open. If your whole house fan turns on automatically and the windows are not open, it can pull air from your fireplace causing ash and soot to stain your furniture and carpet.

Do whole house fans need maintenance?

While most whole house fans are sturdy, reliable machines, you may need to perform some basic maintenance and cleaning to keep them running properly.

What is the purpose of a whole house fan?

Whole house fans are environmentally friendly, using little electricity and no refrigerants to cool your home. They provide constant circulation of the air in your home, keeping it fresh and removing odors from cooking, pets, smoke and household cleaners.

Why are attic fans not used anymore?

Why are attic fans not used anymore? Due to inefficiencies in relying on existing attic vents for air intake, attic fans have lost popularity. These vents often aren't designed for this purpose, resulting in inadequate replacement air supply.

How long do whole-house fans last?

Depending on the model you own, your whole house fan will be warranted for around 5 to 15 years.

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