Conservation Advice – Attic Fan

Installation of an attic fan or whole-house fan can reduce energy costs and improve home comfort by removing heat from the interior space. An attic fan cools the attic by venting the heat that accumulates there. A whole-house fan is also located in the attic, but it draws air from the house below, as well as from the attic, drawing in fresh outdoor air to replace the air that rises to the attic.

A whole-house fan does not generate cool air itself and cannot cool a house during hot weather the way central air conditioning can, but it uses only about 25 percent as much electricity as air conditioning does.

Attic Fan Conservation Tips

You can maximize your energy savings from an attic fan by following these conservation tips:

1. Choose the largest fan your attic can accommodate. A larger fan can operate at low speed and still move as much air as a smaller fan on high speed. You save electricity.
   
2. Operate a whole-house fan only when the temperature outside is lower than the temperature inside.
   
3. Install a timer on the fan so it does not run excessively.
   
4. Never run air conditioning and a whole-house fan simultaneously, because the fan will draw the conditioned air into the attic, wasting it and causing your system to use more energy.
   
5. Consider a solar-powered fan that uses less electricity.
   
6. Cover the fan securely during the cold months to prevent significant cold air intrusion.
   

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