Why You Need an Attic Fan in the Winter
Ventilation in your attic is one of the most important things that you can do for your home, and an attic fan is the best way to ventilate the space. Many homeowners are under the assumption that ventilation is only important in the summer, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. While yes, ventilation is important when the temperatures are high, it is just as important – if not more important – in the winter.
Prevents Moisture Buildup
During the winter, the heat is constantly running inside your house. Since heat rises, it can get trapped in your attic, and that hot air is moist. The cold temperatures outside make the underside of your roof cold, which makes conditions in the attic even more moist. When that moisture builds up, it can cause serious damage to your roof; not to mention that mold and mildew thrive in moist conditions.
To combat moisture buildup, a fan in the attic is essential. It circulates the air and prevents the moisture from building up.
Prevents Condensation
The warm from the heat isn’t the only air that collects in your attic during the winter months; the warm air from exhaust fans, doing laundry and even washing dishes rises up into the attic. As the warm air hits the cooler surfaces of the structures in the attic, the moisture that was in that warm air collects on the surfaces s water droplets, which then turns into frost. This condensation will then drip onto and collect in the insulation, which can damage the insulation, rendering it less effective. Ineffective insulation can seriously impact the efficiency of your home, resulting in higher energy bills.
Prevent Ice Damming
Ice damming is a serious problem in areas where it snows in the winter. The warm air that collects in the attic heats the roof and melts the snow. This melted snow drips into the eaves and eventually refreezes, which results in the formation of an ice dam under the eaves. As the snow melts, it collects under the ice dam and works its way under the shingles, back into the attic and eventually drips down into the ceiling.
Preserves the Roof to Extend Its Life
As the warm air in your house rises to the attic during the winter months, the space under the shingles heats up. Eventually, this will cause the shingles to become brittle, causing them to become ineffective, thus shortening the lifespan of your roof.
An attic fan can help to combat all of these issues that your roof is subjected to in the winter months. Take a look at the QuietCool AFG ES-1500 Attic Fan today.