When to Use an Attic Fan
Whether you have an attic fan or are considering one, you may be wondering when to use it. As you may know, attic fans exhaust hot air from the attic, reducing the temperature in your attic. This reduction in temperature also helps cool the rest of your home and prevents your air conditioning from overworking itself by fighting to overcome the heat seeping into the rest of your home from the attic.
But is there a wrong time to run your attic fan? How many hours a day should you use an attic fan? When’s the best time to run your attic fan? Below, we’ll answer all these questions and more, so read on to find out!
How do attic fans work?
It’s important to learn about how attic fans actually work to better understand when you should use your attic fan.
Attic fans ventilate your attic space and regulate the temperature, simultaneously reducing temperatures and moisture levels. Doing so will not only keep your attic and home cooler, but it will also reduce the risk of mold, structural damage, and ice dams come winter.
There are multiple types of attic fans, the two most common types being roof-mounted attic fans that pull hot air through the roof and gable attic fans that exhaust air through the gable vent.
For an attic fan to work, your attic needs to have additional vents, like soffit vents, to pull in outside air. This allows your fan to exhaust the trapped hot air and replace it with cooler outdoor air.
When should I run my attic fan?
During the summer heat, you’ll notice that running your attic fan will keep the rest of your home more comfortable. If you’ve ever been up in your attic during a hot summer day without your attic fan running, you’ll know that attics can become extremely hot because they trap heat.
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.
You may think that during spring, fall, and winter, you won’t need your attic fan, especially if temperatures are consistently cool. However, keep in mind that the benefits of attic fans don’t lie solely in temperature regulation but in moisture regulation as well. Running your attic fan regularly throughout the year will eliminate moisture buildup in the attic and prevent future problems like mold, mildew, and ice dams.
WholeHouseFan.com has a selection of attic fans. Take a look and give us a call if you have any questions. Call 1.888-229-5757.