Attic Fans Boost Home Cooling"

July and August in Indiana - you know it's going to get hot! And we know the heat will rise into the upper rooms of your house, making it hard to sleep and uncomfortable for any kind of activity. You may not have thought much about attic ventilation in the past, but if you own your own home you should give it some serious thought.

If the warm air in your attic doesn't escape properly it can make you miserable, but it can also raise utility bills and shorten the useful life of roofing materials. Adding a few vents, or cleaning them, almost always helps, but for greater improvement, consider adding an automatic attic fan.

These fans are low cost, widely available, and when operated by a thermostat they only come on when the attic gets overheated. During hot days, attics can reach 150 degrees F which drives up the load on your air conditioner. Attic heat can account for 20-30% of the average cooling bill, so cutting back on the time your air conditioner runs is a great investment. Attic fans can also operate with a humidistat which will get rid of the excess attic humidity during the winter.

Roof-mounted or Gable-mounted

There are 2 types of attic fans: those mounted on the roof, and those mounted on the wall (gable-end.) Gable fans are usually installed close to the peak of the roof and are hidden behind a louvered shutter as this image shows. The fan is secured to wooden studs facing out so that it pushes air through the shuttered wall opening. The roof-mounted fan is attached by cutting a hole through the shingles, and securing the fan to the roof itself. Neither design is necessarily better or more efficient, so the mounting is generally decided based on the homeowner's preference for either style or cost.

Solar-operated or Electric-operated

Attic fans can be electrically powered or solar powered. Homes in shady areas probably need electrically powered, but most homes can use the solar powered models. Those using electricity are generally more powerful than solar models, and are usually energy efficient since they only run when the temperature or humidity is high enough to turn them on. A wide variety of models is available at many stores, and the fan installation can be done within one day, sometimes within a few hours.

We are Ready to Help!

If you decide to put in an attic fan, let us give you some expert advice on it. Give us a call at 317-271-1099 or send an email and we'll help you with it. Whatever your needs are, our experienced Indianapolis electricians can perform the electrical services you need to complete your project. Frye Electric Inc is your local Avon, IN electrical contractor, serving Indianapolis and the surrounding areas for over 35 years.