Invest in attic fans to keep your attic from sweltering this summer.
With the summer just beginning, attic fans are one way you can keep your home cool when the heat is on. Attic fans are installed in your roof, where the fan pulls the hot air in your attic outside. This movement of air keeps temperatures down, which is important when attic temperatures can exceed a staggering 120 °F (49 °C) during the summer. Not only does the heat make attics uncomfortable to visit, but high temperatures can damage your roof’s shingles and can increase the risk of fires.
There are several types of attic fans to choose from, each with their pros and cons. The most common are electric attic fans. These are hooked into your home’s wiring and use electricity from the grid. This is usually achieved through via hardwiring but models that plug into an electrical socket are available. Electric attic fans are very powerful but will add to your utility bill. To help offset this, many models of electric attic fans are equipped with a thermostat that will turn the fan on or off at a certain temperature.
All attic fans run on electricity, of course, but not all do so through your home’s power grid. Many models of solar- and wind-powered attic fans are also available. These generate their own power via solar panels or a wind turbine, meaning they don’t raise the electricity bill. However, their efficiency can suffer when the skies are cloudy or there is little wind. You should make sure your roof receives a sufficient amount of sunshine or wind, especially during the summer, before investing in one of these products.
No matter what type of attic fans you use, there are some other elements that must be in place to ensure maximum efficiency. One of these is sufficient ventilation throughout the attic. Vents allow fresher, cooler air to be pulled in to replace the hot air the attic fan is removing.
The second factor related to effective fan use is complete insulation between the attic and the floors below. Without this, the air in the attic can seep into the home’s living areas, increasing the load on your central heat and air system. Insulation also keeps attic fans from doing too good a job and pulling air conditioned or heated air up into the attic from your home, again causing decreased energy efficiency.
Due to the stresses of heat and cold they endure, and the amount of dirt and dust they come in contact with, attic fans generally have a lifespan of about ten years. It’s always a good idea to get older attic fans checked before the warmest parts of the year, when you need them the most!
If you’re thinking more and more about how to keep your home cool summer, consider adding attic fans to your roof. If you already have attic fans, now’s the time to have them inspected or upgraded. Give McCauley Electrical Service a call at (678) 324-3117 to discuss all your attic fan needs. If you need other services related to your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), we recommend Flory HVAC. Give Peter Flory a call at 770-205-1238 to any HVAC projects you might have around your home.