My attic, that is big enough for storage, is very HOT. Does it pay to install an attic fan?

Question

I dont want the stored items to get too hot. Will an attic fan help cool the entire home? What setup is best?

Answer 1

Yes, the attic fan will help with the some of the heat and moisture build-up. However, it won't help cool your entire home. Have you considered one of those whole house fans? They're installed in the ceiling and can quickly cool your entire house. It's not a regular ceiling fan, though. I had one in an apartment that I once lived and it was a great alternative to costly air conditioning. Here's a link if you're interested.

http://www.wholehousefan.com/superfan.html

Answer 2

Why not insulate the 2nd floor? Something doesn't sound right here. If your attic is well insulated, why is it hot? Is the insulation on roof rafters or on the attic floor between the 2nd-floor ceiling and the attic as it should be? Your house was built before the oil crisis and I'll bet those 2nd floor outside walls could use insulation. Is there any where you can check easily? (like in a closet) You seem to have all kinds of vents in the attic but you're saying, the warm air can't leave because cooler air can't enter. Soffit vents sounds good and you don't have to close the gable vents. You probably need only a few.

Answer 3

I have an attic fan in my home, but it was installed when our home was built. The cost of adding one to an existing home might be hefty, but I can tell you from experience that I would pay any amount to have one installed (if we didn't already have one). They are great energy savers, and they are excellent at cooling the entire home. Depending on the floor plan of your home, you can turn the attic fan on, close all the windows except one at the opposite end of your home, and you can feel the breeze from any room in the whole house. I live in the midwest where the summers get hot and humid, and we use it alot in the spring and fall to avoid the high cost of air-conditioning.

Before you have someone install an attic fan, you might want to make sure you have several air vents already in place in your attic. The air needs a way to escape, and if you don't already have air vents, it might be too costly if your home is made of all-brick.

Another solution would be to purchase a box fan (usually around $10) and place it against the vent in your attic, with the breeze blowing outward. Open the hatch to your attic and another window in your home, and this should help cool down the attic. It will take much longer, and is not necessarily as effective as an attic fan, but it might be an alternative fix.

Answer 4

Depending on your climate an attic fan can pay for itself in a very short time. The best type are gable fans with thermostat controls.

Basically it is install in the wall of your attic and power is applied. When the temperature of your attic reaches a certain set-point the fan automatically come on and exhausts the hot air.

This accomplishes two things. It keeps your attic and house cooler in the summer time and makes your AC equipment operate much more efficient.

Answer 5

You know, you might check your sophite openings.
Not only does a roof need a minimum of 1 square foot of opening for every 150 square foot of attic, but it also needs the lower sophite opening for circulation.

Attic fans are good but if placed to close to an attic vent, they will just pull from the vent rather than the attic.
I removed my attic fan and put in two more regular roof vents and it's doing just as good plus not using electricity unnecessarily.

Attics get hot.
If it's 100 out side, it's going to be up to 140 degrees in the attic.

Answer 6

If you have proper insulation, like 8 inch batts or blown-in in the attic, the fan will do ZERO to keep the house's living quarters cool. That's because the insulation literally stops the heat from entry to the house.

However, there is another reason to install an roof vent fan and that is to save your roof. That heat in there destroys the asphalt shingles and warps plywood on the roof. A power vented attic will add years to your asphalt roofing.

You can buy a roof fan at Lowes, the cost is about $75. It fits right on the slant of the roof outside and between the roof joists. Its especially made for this. Comes with flashing and thermostat all ready to put in.

So all you do is cut a 14 x 14 square hole in the roof, and drop in the fan, Flashing is included in the fan. Then you need 110 volt to it and that is it. Its a handy man's job, the skill is minimal to do this.

The fan will keep the at about 10 degrees above the outside air temp is my experience.

Answer 7

An even better idea, is a heat barrier, that is installed in the attic, directly to the underside of the roof. The savings will be instantly, as it reduces the amount of heat allowed in the attic, by reflecting the heat away. Check around your area for a local installer. I know there are rebates also on your federal income taxes for installing energy saving products, such as this. Good luck!

Answer 8

We have a fan in our attic and yes it does help keep the entire house cooler as the fan actually blows the hot air out of the attic. Ours kicks in at 68F (20C) and at night shuts off when the outdoor temp. has gone back down. It works well and I do notice the difference when I've forgotten to turn it on.

Answer 9

You should have ridgevent cut into your roof and make sure your soffits have several vents or continous vent. The cool air will come through the soffit vents and the hot air will escape through the ridge vent. It will keep the attic cooler, lower your power bill in the summer, and make your roof last longer.

Answer 10

yes it will help i don,t think it will cool your whole house .it will help cool your attic.so you are able to store things the fan will cirulate the air in attic so it won,t get so hot.