Do Attic Fans Save Energy?
We are all aware of how fans work inside the rooms in our homes. But what about installing a fan in a room you don’t see much, such as the attic? Believe it or not, it has some benefits. Inside our homes, heat rises while cool air falls to the floor. A fan in the attic helps the rising hot air move out of the house. If you don’t have a fan to move the hot air elsewhere, your air conditioning unit will have to work harder to keep your home at a certain temperature. Without a fan, your attic can reach 150 degrees, and the heat in there makes up 20 percent of your cooling costs. Therefore, installing a fan in your attic for about $100 dollars makes perfect economic sense. Some attic fans only run when the attic reaches a certain temperature. These types of fans save even more on energy and money since they aren’t running all of the time. Attic fans are also helpful in reducing humidity in your home as well as eliminating fumes. Chances are, your attic already has vents. But does it have enough? You should have one vent per 300 square feet. The more vents, the better. When it comes to the fan, there are two basic types. One can be installed into the roof, while the other can be mounted into the wall. Roof fans are installed by cutting into the roof and adding shingles around it. A wall mounted fan is installed into a gable wall and protected by a shutter. For a small investment and a little work, you can reduce your energy bill now and for years to come by installing a fan in your attic.