Are you looking for an easy way to beat the heat on the second floor of your home? An attic fan will not only help keep your home cooler this summer, it will also lower your energy bills. In addition, it will prevent your cooling equipment from having to work overtime to air condition your home, a benefit that will reduce your energy bills and allow your equipment to last longer.
How does an attic fan do so much?
If you’ve gone into the attic during the summer months, you know how hot it can get up there. When the sun heats your roof, it heats up your attic, too – sometimes reaching as much as 150 degrees. Your house’s structural components (trusses, rafters, ceilings, etc.) absorb the heat, then transfer it into your living space. This transferred heat makes your upper floor uncomfortable. It's like wearing a winter hat in August. Extra heat means your HVAC system has to work harder to cool the space.
Chances are your house already has passive attic ventilation in the form of ridge vents, gable vents, soffit vents and/or dormer vents. These vents are functional (assuming they’re not obstructed) but they don’t have the ability to move and exchange a large quantity of air as quickly as an attic fan. Attic fans work on a thermostatic control to draw cooler air in through the soffit vents while simultaneously forcing hot air out. The result is a cooler attic and a lower A/C bill.
Attic fans also provide other benefits that are less obvious, but just as important:
- The life expectancy of your HVAC system will increase because of reduced wear and tear.
- You will have a more storage-friendly attic because of the cooler temperatures and decreased humidity.
- The cooler temperature will reduce moisture, which lowers the chance of structural damage as well as growth of mold and mildew.
- Less heat in the attic will prolong the life of your roofing materials.
If you would like to learn more about attic fans, contact the professionals at Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating. We've been proudly serving the Mid-Ohio area since 1965.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about attic fans and other HVAC topics, visit our website.
Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating, Inc. services the Mid-Ohio area.
