Whole House Fan Terminology You Need to Know

Thinking of getting a whole house fan for your home? These fans can be instrumental in keeping your home cool and your energy costs down during the dog days of summer. These are a few of the terms you need to know and understand when exploring your whole house fan options.

CFM – Stands for Cubic Feet per Minute and refers to the maximum amount of air flow the fan can deliver. The ideal CFM varies from one home to another according to the size of the home. Some fans have multiple fan speeds that allow you to adjust the flow of air.

Attic Fan – An attic fan is different from a whole house fan. This fan simply helps to regulate building temperature by releasing hot air built up in the attic. Some attic fans require manual switches to turn them on and off while others use a thermostat to automate the process.

Whole House Fan – Whole house fans operate differently than attic fans. While they do exhaust hot air out of the attic, they also serve to circulate cooler air throughout the building or home by drawing cooler, outside air in through open windows on lower floors and circulating it throughout the home.

ACPH or ACH – Stands for Air Changes Per Hour which is the measure of air moved into or out of a space divided by the volume of the space. The Department of Energy recommends whole house fans that provide 30 to 60 air changes per hour for the average home, though suggests homeowners work with professional contractors and installers to determine the specific needs for their homes.

Attic Ventilation – While the cornerstone of an effective attic fan, whole house fans, or another type of exhaust system, attic fans are also highly useful for expelling warm, moist air from attic spaces to reduce ice dams and keep attics dry. In other words, attic ventilation is essential for temperature regulation and so much more – in every season.

Whole House Fan Winterization – Whole house fans are outstanding tools for helping you keep your home cooler in the summer. In the winter, you can install a whole house fan shutter or cover, winterization kit, or you invest in an insulated whole house fan from the start.

Rebates and Tax Credits – In many communities across the country, it is possible to apply for rebates or tax credits when you install a whole house fan in your home. This can help to greatly reduce the upfront costs of installing a whole house fan allowing you to recoup your costs much more quickly.

Firestat – Commonly used with attic fans, a firestat automatically shuts down the attic fan in the case of excessive heat, like that associated with a fire, so that the fan does not cause the fire to spread. This is not, however, the current recommendation for use in combination with a whole house fan.

Now that you know some of the terminology associated with a whole house fan, you can make better-informed decisions when buying one for your home. Contact us here at WholeHouseFan.com at 1-888-229-5757 if you have any questions about our whole house fans or attic fans.