How Long Has This Form Of Home Cooling Been Used?

Before there was air conditioning, people used fans to cool their homes. Whole house fans have been used in the United States for a very long time. Within the last 15 years, fan designs and efficiencies have changed dramatically for the better.

Will Your Whole House Fans Affect The Blown-In Insulation In My Attic?

By virtue of design, our fans will have a minimal impact on attic insulation.

When Should I Use My Fan?

Typically the evening and early morning hours. Anytime the outdoor temperature is cooler than inside your home.

Do’s and Don’ts of Whole House Fans

by George Karonis October 26, 2015

Families who use whole house fans can lower their cooling and heating costs, freshen their home’s atmosphere, and reduce indoor allergens. Whole house fans work through moving hotter air out through vents or gables and sucking in the cooler air from outside.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, for at least a part of the year, you can sufficiently cool your home with a whole house fan. In various climates this type of fan can maintain comfort and save you money.

Whole House Fans Do’s and Dont’s

Purchasing
Do:
Consider what type of fan you will need before you buy. Also, check with your utility company to see if there are any energy rebates you are eligible for. A portion of the cost may be able to be reclaimed on your income taxes as an energy tax credit.

Don’t:
Go to the hardware store and buy a whole house fan without properly researching them first. Not all fans are the right size for your home. If you assume you are buying from the best manufacturer, have the right size without taking measurements or that you have all the information needed for installing the fan yourself, you are taking the risk of having to just call up a professional later on to fix your mistakes.

Buy the cheapest fan just to save some money. Models that are less expensive tend to be loud, not insulated and come with generic fan assemblies.

Sizing
Do:
Take measurements to determine the right size whole house fan for your home. You should calculate your home’s square footage. Many manufacturers will outline the fan’s capability to the square footage of your home. Also, if your home’s floor space is between fan sizes, choose the next size up fan capacity.

Don’t:
Buy a fan based on price. Size is crucial.

Select a fan without making sure there is proper venting for it. Ideally, for every 750 CFM, there should be one square foot of venting space. Alternatively, you can look at it as providing the same venting amount as the shutter hole size in the ceiling.

Operating
Do:
Turn your whole house fan on in the early mornings, late afternoons or evenings for optimal effectiveness. This is when the outdoors temperature is cooler than the indoors.

Turn off your central AC unit when you use your house fan. If you don’t, you will waste all the expensive cool air you just filled your home with.

Open doors and windows, otherwise the fan can lead your furnace, water heater or gas-burning appliances to backdraft exhaust carbon monoxide and exhaust fumes into your home. It can also lead to your fan overheating.

Don’t:
Use your fireplace while using your fan. Because of the air pressure change caused by the whole house fan, the fire will not vent correctly.

There has been a big change in whole house fans; for the better. Even though this method of natural home cooling has been around for many years, it has recently gained great popularity. The fans today are more quiet and energy efficient than standard AC. This is especially good news with the rise of electricity prices.

To learn more about the proper sizing and use of whole house fans, call us here at wholehousefan.com at 1.888.229.5757.

Do’s and Don’ts of Whole House Fans

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