Adding an attic fan can improve the airflow in your attic to keep it cool.
How does an attic fan cool down the attic.
They ve been well discussed here and other places but briefly they re not cost effective don t deal with the problem where it starts are using convection to solve a radiant heat problem and can even be dangerous by backdrafting combustion appliances and.
Opening your attic access panel will draw that air into the attic and help to push the hot air up there.
An attic fan works by drawing in cool air to the attic space that pushes out the hot air through vents.
Then prop open the garage s attic access ladder by about 12 inches or enough to let a sizable draft enter your attic.
Of course if the attic fan isn t working correctly and is running all year long that would be a significant problem.
An attic fan is installed on the slanted side of your roof or on one of the gable sides of your attic.
The attic fans are fitted with thermostats that will switch on and off the fan depending on the homeowner s preference.
These fans are designed to remove excess heat from your attic which in theory is supposed to lessen the load on the air conditioning in your home.
The downside of attic ventilation fans.
Attic ventilation fans whether hard wired or powered by their own solar panels seem like a low cost and effective way to help keep your house cool.
Even though an attic exhaust fan can incrementally lower the temperature of a very hot attic using a fan does not stop the source radiant heat.
Opening your automatic garage door will let cool air and a draft in.
Attic fans push out the hot air and pull in the cool air from the vents installed on your roof.
The warm air escapes through the attic and to the attic vents allowing the circulation of chilly air from the windows.
In such doing the attic fan will reduce the temperature in the attic space that in turn cools down the whole house.
To ensure that the attic fan is working properly you need to make sure that your attic is sealed up tight where it touches the ceiling of the top floor.
However the utility of attic ventilation fans is actually quite a controversial topic.
As you know cold air settles and hot air rises.
During the day any cooler air brought in by the fan will be heated up immediately by the surrounding structure.
It helps to cool your home temperatures and the attic by approximately 30 degrees.
Good insulation reduces fan effectiveness.
If the attic fan keeps the house cool enough so that the owners leave the ac off there is almost certainly an energy benefit.
If the attic fan increases the comfort level of the house it may be worth it.
The whole house fan is installed inside the attic between the living space and ceiling.
Install an attic fan.
Powered attic ventilators are the worst way to try to keep your attic cool.
Whole house fans work on the principle of removing the hot and humid air out of the house.