Do Attic Fans Work In The Winter
Prevents condensation the warm from the heat isn t the only air that collects in your attic during the winter months.
Do attic fans work in the winter. How an attic fan works. The warm air from exhaust fans doing laundry and even washing dishes rises up into the attic. A whole house fan is usually installed on the attic floor near the center of your house. Ideally this will lower the high temperatures that have built up in your attic.
The problem with this design as argued by energy professionals is that attic fans also pull the conditioned air from your home into the attic. An attic fan helps by equalizing the indoor and outdoor temperatures. Do not use mechanical means electric attic fans. The ventilation process also helps to maintain even attic temperatures which keeps ice dams from forming.
Small attic vents located below the roof peaks provide sufficient ventilation to let the moisture created by heat rising into the. Even if your roof already has ridge vents and plenty of ventilation built in it s a good idea to install gable fans or roof fans to help blow hot humid air out of the attic. Ridge vent must me installed per the manufactures instructions. Attic ventilation fans also tend to be quite energy efficient in terms of their own operation.
Having small insulation spaces in the attic if the attic space is less than r 19 you will need an attic fan. To combat moisture buildup a fan in the attic is essential. One of the leading causes for fires. Air is drawn in through the attic fan and air is expelled through the roof vent system to keep your attic cooler and drier preventing ice and moisture issues throughout the winter.
By continually exchanging warm moist air from inside the attic with cooler drier air from the outside of the home it prevents condensation from occurring. More than 50 of the attic fans i see do not work and have current still live to the motor. Attic fans do require electricity to operate which makes this attic ventilation solution more costly to operate than relying on natural attic ventilation through vents. During cold winter months the attic vent fan is not necessary.
Attic fans exhaust hot air from your attic to the outside. Open your windows before you turn on the fan. Fresh air is pulled in from your soffits and or roof vent creating a draft through your attic. In the late evening or early morning the fan is turned on to exhaust hot air from the house.
It circulates the air and prevents the moisture from building up. This air is then exhausted through the fan to the outside. Best ventilation is open soffit venting to a open vented ridge vent.