You know that insulation is important in the attic of your Peachtree City-area home, right? But did you also know that the ventilation that attic fans can provide is just as essential? Many homeowners focus on sealing the leaks in their home and making sure that it is properly insulated. However, many often don’t think that controlled movement of air into and out of your attic helps keep your attic’s environment healthy.

Attic fans both pull air into the attic from the outdoors and push the air in the attic outside. Since the temperatures in attics can rise as high as 150 degrees in the summer, it’s important to remove as much hot air as possible, to keep your home cool and prevent damage to your home’s structure. Insulation plays a key role in protecting your living space from the heat. However, it is more effective when paired with attic fans and proper attic ventilation.

Some homeowners worry about the expense of running an attic fan. Many attic fans, however, have thermal switches that only turn the fan on when the temperature reaches a set point, usually between 80 to 90 degrees. During the winter and on cooler days in the spring and fall, the fan never turns on.

To be most effective, attic fans must work in conjunction with proper attic vents. Typically, soffit vents provide an inlet for outside air to enter. As the fan pulls in air, the temperature in the attic gradually grows closer to the ambient temperature outdoors. This reduces your home’s heating load to save you energy. In fact, an attic fan can help you save enough money on your utility bills that you will be able to recoup the fan’s purchase and installation price over time.  Save even more by installing a solar roof ventilator and utilize the 30% federal tax credit in addition to saving from being off the grid.

Attic fans also help reduce the moisture build-up that can result from temperature changes in the attic. Keeping air moving prevents the accumulation of mold and mildew that can ruin any belongings stored in the attic and cause respiratory problems for you and your loved ones.

For more information about ceiling fans or other HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) matters, contact Powers Heating & Air. We’re proud to serve the Peachtree City area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree, GA and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about attic fans and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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