I look forward to reading your advice. Solar attic fans help you save money . Do attic fans really work? With summer almost upon us, you may be dreading the increased utility costs and the stifling heat that can collect in your attic. Attic power ventilators are mounted to the roof of the home and are connected electronically to a power source and, in most cases, the home’s thermostat. These all work well and are typically installed near the top or the peak of the roof, called the ridge. Attic fans are not recommended if you have central air conditioning because when you turn the fan on in the summer, it depressurizes the attic but also reaches down into your house and starts drawing off air-conditioned air, effectively driving up your cooling costs. Discussion Starter • #1 • Aug 26, 2009. They use energy which is pretty much wasted, and in some circumstances can create problems in the home. While they generally help exhaust superheated air from your attic there is a risk they pull air-conditioned air from your home. An attic fan is what it sounds like—it’s a fan installed on the ceiling of your attic. It works by drawing hot, humid air out of your attic and pushing it outside. The added heat makes your air conditioner work harder and means higher utility bills. What does it take to really cool an attic space? Do Attic Fans Really Work? Many homeowners hear about attic fans installed by friends and neighbors and want to know if an attic fan is a good idea or just a waste of money. When the temperatures rise outside, they can be just as bad or worse indoors. Of course, investing in a high-efficiency air conditioning system is a good start, but there are steps you can, and should, take to ensure that you are getting the most from that AC system. What are the pros and cons to these solar attic fans? Attic ventilation helps to give that heat a place to go. Report This. Solar attic fans, powered by the sun, work to increase or improve the air circulation in your attic and facilitate ventilation. Attic Fans do cool down a house in less than an hour. By moving hot, stuffy air out of the attic and improving ventilation, solar attic fans work to decrease the attic’s temperature. Read on to learn more about the different types of attic fans and how they can benefit your home. Add in the cost of regular maintenance to your heating and air systems and it’s no wonder that many homeowners look for other ways to keep things cool. I live in San Diego but inland so we do get days in the summer that are hot. There are several different types of attic ventilation systems, but most of them feature small vents (soffit and gable) which draw in cool air, along with a primary fan that pushes air outside. It could be Dormers, Gable End Vents, Ridge Vents, Turtle vents or Turbines Vents. Solar attic fans provide a number of benefits for you and your home. I am currently getting an A/C unit installed and I am also thinking about getting a Attic fan … These include: Keep Your Attic Cooler in Summer – In warmer climates, like Florida, the heat buildup in your attic, not only radiates to the living spaces below, but can also damage your roof, insulation, and structural integrity of your home. But do attic fans really work? This extra heat can make the living areas of your home warmer. 31 Posts . It also provides a lower profile then other ventilation options so that you can streamline the look instead of using bulky items that can cause distractions. How Solar Attic Fans Work. I have been reseraching solar attic fans for my 3 level town house in Virginia. And since the roof must be penetrated for some attic fan installations, there is concern about that it may lead to water damage. I want to replace them with either a higher quality moter or take them out completly and use something else. A solar attic fan removes that heated air and releases it outside before it can radiate into your home. Find out whether it is economical to run an attic fan. Electric attic fans, however, often increase energy consumption and cancel out any savings, unless the attic is not insulated at all. Air leaks By installing more roof vents, such as a ridge vent, you increase the possibility that most attic air will come from outside, says Tim Carter, a … As the sun beats down on your roof, it heats the air inside your house — starting with your attic. In short, are attic fans good or bad? One increasingly popular option is the attic exhaust fan. Do Attic Fans really work? As we said before, heat rises, and when it does it carries humidity that comes from everyday activities like cooking and showering. One suggestion that HVAC technicians have for reducing energy usage is adding an attic fan. Most residential homes have some type of attic ventilation. This is an answer about attic fans, fans that draw outside air through the attic. Attic fans work on the principle of pushing out the attic’s hot air and replacing it with cool air from outside. The fans, many of the experts say, work better on sunny days, and they do tend to stop spinning as the sun sets, leaving the attic still hot after dark. You would need more than one solar fan to move thousands of cubic feet of air per minute to remove the heat from the attic space. The whole house fans takes hot air from the house and moves it up into the attic and out through the attic vents. But the question our customers often ask is “Do they really work”? This fan is a Remington Solar attic fan found at HomeDepot.com Because what happens is attic fans are so strong that they actually reach down into the conditioned space of your house, and they do that by using the wall cavities and where the outlets and pipes come through the walls, as places where they draw air from the inside of your house – it’s that air conditioned air – and it’ll pull it right up into the attic and exhaust it outside. I have heard some people say they are a waist of money because the motors won't last long running in the heated condition they run in. Do power attic fans do a better job of venting the heat out? Did you know that during the hot summer months, attic temperatures can exceed 160 degrees? Attic fans are intended to cool hot attics by drawing in cooler outside air from attic vents (soffit and gable) and pushing hot air to the outside. This provides much-needed ventilation, and is a powerful addition to your HVAC system. This is the only known real test on YouTube that shows a successful test of a solar attic fan. Have you ever asked yourself: do solar attic fans really work? Solar attic fans are an investment that can save you from major home damage. It helps to cool your home temperatures and the attic by approximately 30 degrees. Let's discuss the primary concern homeowners have about attic fan installation. These fans Let me tell you, ours broke about two years ago and we haven't fixed it yet, but are about to. Whole-house fans come in two types: ceiling-mounted or attic-mounted. Keeping your home comfortable is expensive both in summer’s heat and winter’s cold. If an attic isn’t properly ventilated, it can lead to moisture build-up, which in turn can cause wood rot and mold growth. Do Attic Fans Really Help That Much? How Attic Fans Work. One way to combat the scorching summer is to install attic fan ventilation in your Alexandria, VA home. No, they don’t cool the house. answers from Dallas on July 06, 2011 I had one in a very humid climate where eveporative coolers were not feasible. Comments(optional) Report T.K. I saw an advertisement for a solar-powered attic fan and that seems like a great way to remove heat and reduce my carbon footprint. Regulating the temperature of the attic helps the lower level rooms and occupants in your home feel cooler and more comfortable. How long do attic fans last? That warmed air then circulates through your home, forcing your air conditioner to work harder to maintain a constant temperature. Whole house fans are designed to keep your home cool at night by utilizing the air outside. Writer | May 11, 2020. This is why an attic fan will help ventilate the attic and bring in cool air. It’s a simple concept that’s highly effective at cooling down attics. There are really two categories of attic fans; the whole house fan and the more common powered attic ventilator. It’s possible to lower the cost of keeping your home comfortable with attic ventilation […] Brad L., Phoenix, AZ The whole house fan is installed inside the attic between the living space and ceiling. On top of that, sunlight hitting your roof can cause the already warm interior of your attic to become even hotter. I would be interested to hear your opinion on attic fans. I have 3 in my attic and all 3 motors are done. Yes, they really do work. I really liked your introduction to the Globe on Jan. 4. ... it’s also possible to add a powered attic fan, commonly called an attic power ventilator. The answer is, yes they really do. Do these fans really work, and are they hard to install? Whole House Attic Fans. Attic ventilation fans have pros and cons. When summer hits, there’s only so much you can do to keep your home as cool as possible. Whole house fans work on the principle of removing the hot and humid air out of the house; the warm air escapes through the attic and to the attic vents allowing the circulation of chilly air from the windows. There are several different types of ventilation, from attic fans that actively move the air around, to vents just beneath the ridge caps that work in conjunction with fans to circulate more air. Solar attic fans can provide your home with an improved appearance that speaks of environmental consciousness when you make this investment. Whole-house fans are intended to be used in homes that are not air-conditioned.Whole-house fans are used to bring fresh air into your home, via open windows, and up through your attic. I've noticed the difference in the summer temps in the house; they go up higher faster now that ours is broken. 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