4 Reasons Why Home Attic Fans Might Be Your Summertime Savior
Since they're right under the roof, attics take the brunt of the sun's heat. This direct exposure makes them heat up much faster than the rest of your house. While a hot attic might not seem like a major issue, it can become a problem because it forces your air conditioner to work overtime to keep your living areas cool. The extra effort translates to higher energy bills and potentially a shorter lifespan for your AC unit. Luckily, there is an easy way to prevent these issues, and that is by installing a home attic fan.
Here at Whole House Fan, we carry the best attic fans with innovative features and energy-saving benefits. If you’re preparing your home for the summer months, now is a good time to invest in a high-quality attic exhaust fan to ventilate and eliminate warm air from that space.
Are you planning to get one soon? Before anything else, ensure proper roof venting, preferably at least one square foot of vents for every 300 square feet of area in your attic. Many homes are already properly vented, but it’s always good to check.
Is an attic exhaust fan worth buying?
At this point, you might be wondering if a home attic fan is a worthy investment. Here are four good reasons to buy it and make your summers more bearable:
Reason #1: It can keep your whole house cool
Attics heat up fast, reaching scorching temperatures (up to 150°F!) in just a few minutes during the hottest days of summer. Attics often have some vents, but they're simply overwhelmed by the intense heat. An attic exhaust fan that is specially designed for attics can actively pull out hot air, regulating attic temperature and preventing it from baking your entire home.
Is your upper floor uncomfortably warm even with the AC running? Blame your attic! Radiant heat from a scorching attic can significantly impact your home's comfort. An attic exhaust fan helps minimize this issue by promoting proper ventilation throughout your entire house, ensuring a cooler and more comfortable living environment.
Reason #2: Reduce maintenance and repair costs
Did you know your air-conditioner works harder when your home is superheated? Over time, this could damage the A/C ducting and the system's internal parts, causing unnecessary repairs and replacements that can add to your monthly costs. A home attic fan can help prevent that and allow your cooling systems to operate more efficiently.
In addition, a cooler attic can help prolong the lifespan of your roof. Remember that your roof is crucial for your house’s structural integrity. If it’s damaged from too much heat and moisture, it can cause unwanted problems indoors and increase your costs for replacements and repairs. An attic exhaust fan helps regulate temperatures to protect the roofing system and improve humidity levels in your house.
Reason #3: Reduce energy costs
When your air conditioner runs efficiently, it can lower your energy costs. This is because it doesn’t need to work harder to cool your living spaces when you have an attic exhaust fan to help reduce indoor temperatures. Plus, you don’t need to keep relying on your AC to cool your home 24/7.
You don’t even need to keep running the home attic fan all the time. You can turn it on during the hottest part of the day to reduce attic temperatures by up to 50 degrees. Plus, it can reduce your home’s indoor temperature by 10 degrees.
And speaking of energy costs, a modern home attic fan can help you save more money without compromising the ventilation’s quality and efficiency. Here at Whole House Fan, we carry solar-powered options with an AC/DC Smart Inverter that lets them run for free with sunlight in the daytime. If you want to use an attic exhaust fan at night, it will switch to running on your home’s electricity. It’s also a great way to make the most of cooler outdoor air to reduce indoor temperatures at nighttime.
Reason #4: Protect your belongings
Many people store valuables in their attic because they assume that it's a safe haven. Unfortunately, attics can become scorching hot and humid, silently damaging your belongings. Excessive heat and moisture can warp furniture, crack electronics, and even encourage mold growth.
The good news? You can use an attic exhaust fan to actively remove hot and humid air. This creates a more controlled environment for your attic treasures.
A home attic fan also prevents moisture build-up that can harm your possessions and become hazardous to your respiratory health. Proper ventilation helps regulate humidity to prevent mold and mildew growth, which can be costly to clean up and increase the risk of damage to your roof and home.
If you or someone in your household has allergies, an attic exhaust fan is a must during the summer months. Without it, mold and mildew can thrive in your attic and cause allergic reactions and other severe health issues down the road.
Understanding how attic fans work
What makes a home attic fan effective at heat removal? Essentially, it helps regulate heat flow in an enclosed or poorly ventilated space.
Your attic can become superheated in the summer months because of the following reasons:
- Radiant heat from your environment and the sun accumulates inside.
- Process heat from your air-conditioning system and water heaters can build up in your home.
- Insulation traps heat and moisture indoors.
An attic exhaust fan ventilates the rising indoor heat. As it continues to run, you can notice improved temperatures in that space and living areas.
Are you convinced about getting a home attic fan? See our selection here at Whole House Fan. We can recommend a high-quality attic exhaust fan from Quiet Cool. You may also call us at 1-661-775-5979 for free expert advice.