5 Reasons to Use a Whole House Fan in the Winter

Whole house fans can keep your home cool and dry in the summer without overloading the electric grid and driving up your energy bills. While they get the most attention during the summer, they can actually be used year-round, even in the winter.

During the cold winters we bundle up, turn on the heater, and keep the windows and doors shut to keep our homes toasty. Insulating our homes and preventing air leakage is important to saving energy and keeping our heating bills down.

However, unlike during the summer when we keep our windows open and let the breeze in, odors begin to build up. The worst part is, you may not even notice it. We tend to get used to the smells we live in, and as they build up over time, we get used to them. Don’t wait for a friend to tell you about your indoor odors; instead, keep your home ventilated with a whole house fan.

Reduce indoor air pollution

Just as odors don’t have anywhere to go in the winter, neither does air pollution. There are more sources of air pollution in your home than you may think. Not only do vapes, cigarettes, and burning cannabis create indoor air pollution, but so do candles, incense, cooking, pets, and simply existing. Indoor air pollution is impossible to avoid, but it is possible to eliminate it from the home with a whole house fan.

Improve air circulation

Even if you have little indoor air pollution or use an air purifier, having stale air in the home is still a problem. Stale air isn’t exactly bad for your health if it’s clean, but people tend to notice it. It’s so much better to introduce fresh air into your home now and again than stick to the same recycled air.

Reduce the accumulation of moisture
Did you know moisture is technically an air pollutant? That’s because moisture stimulates the growth of mold and mildew which can be harmful to your health. Also, moisture can trigger materials to begin degrading, further reducing indoor air quality.

Moisture can also cause rot, especially in your attic. Keep your home dry this winter and run your whole house fan.

Prevent ice dams

Heat naturally rises and it can easily build up in your attic — you’ve probably noticed this during the summer, but did you know it happens in the winter too? When it snows this hot air in your attic can heat up patches of your roof and cause the snow to melt. This snowmelt can then refreeze along your roof and cause what is known as ice dams, which can cause serious damage to your roof.

Running a whole house fan will prevent the build-up of this heat in your attic and thereby prevent damage from ice dams.