Why Whole House Fan Noise Is a Thing of the Past
A whole-house fan is a relatively easy-to-understand device. You mount the fan in a central hallway ceiling (for example, in a two-story home’s top floor) and it draws in the cool outdoor air through open windows and doors while it forces out the hot inside air through the existing exhaust and intake vents on your roof. This reduces your AC unit’s load for the evening and following day ― and creates a comfortable living environment.
Whole-house fans are efficient when the outdoor temperature is lower than the temperature indoors, which typically is in the evenings and during the night. And, whole-house fans often use only a fraction of the energy of AC units, meaning it dramatically lowers your energy bill.
But, the older style whole-house fan used industrial, inexpensive motors that often made them extremely noisy. Because of this, individuals tended to sporadically use them, turning them off when the noise became bothersome to them.
Also, many older style whole-house fans are driven by a belt and require maintenance every couple of years. They also require extensive attic framing when installed. When installation is performed improperly, it can cause the fan to vibrate and make even extra noise. On top of this, when the fan is trying to exhaust the air out through small vents, it can cause an annoying whistling sound.
But, today, things have changed, and whole house fans now are quiet. For example,
the QuietCool CL-1500 Whole House Fan has a sound level of 42 decibels. To help understand that sound level, a whisper clocks in at 30 decibels, while a babbling brook averages 40 decibels.
Quiet Operation with New Whole-House Fans
Newer whole-house fan models tend to run very quietly and don’t emit the disturbing, loud noises associated with the older style whole-house fans. You can run a newer whole-house fan all night long and still obtain a quiet and peaceful night’s sleep― even if you sleep lightly.
Other Benefits of Newer Whole-House Fans
Other benefits are:
They remove indoor stale air. Since whole-house fans draw in hot air to your attic and then letting it out of your home, you enjoy considerably fresher indoor air. This helps prevent and remove odors, while providing outstanding home ventilation.
Reduces the need for air conditioning. By using a whole-house fan, your entire home can be cooled down effectively by drawing in the fresh, cool outdoor air. When you operate it during the summer (morning or night), there’s typically no need to run your AC unit. In fact, you shouldn’t use an air conditioner simultaneously with your whole-house fan since the AC unit’s cool air will be let out of your home and replaced by outdoor air.
Keep in mind, you must open your windows when running your whole-house fan. If you don’t open your windows, the motor of the fan will have to work even harder to draw air through the small structure openings of your home and this could cause the motor to prematurely burn out.
If you’re interested in getting a whole house fan before summer heats up, take a look at our whole house fan inventory or give us call with your questions. Call us here at WholeHouseFan.com at 1.888.229.5757.