Attic Fans: How they help your AC unit cool the home

For many homeowners and renters the idea of reducing energy bills and keeping energy bills at a reasonable rate is a top priority. Throughout harsh winter and harsh summer temperatures keeping the energy bills of a home at a reasonable rate can be difficult. The summer months can be increasingly difficult especially in high heat prone areas such as the southern United States, Texas and desert regions. There are several methods to utilize to help keep your house cool during the summer regardless of your location. One of the most popular methods is the use of attic fans. There has been some speculation as to whether or not attic fans actually provide any relief from the energy bills or from the heat. The following are just few of the ways that attic fans can help your AC unit cool the home.

Thermostats and Attic Fans

Thermostats when used with attic fans are one of leading ways that attic fans to help your AC unit cool home. A thermostat attached to an attic fan will signal the attic fan when it needs to turn on. For example, if your attic reaches 100° or higher, a thermostat can be set to turn on the fan at the 100° mark. When the attic fan receives the signal to turn on it will begin to suck out all of the heated air from the attic. When this air is moved out of the attic, the AC can continue to cool the house properly. Without these the thermostat and attic fan, the AC unit would continue to cool the home would have a harder time keeping up with the temperatures. For example, with an attic fan thermostat combination an AC unit can keep the house of steady 73°. However, without the attic fan and thermostat combination, the AC would work overtime and still not be able to reach even 75° much less 73°.

Ventilation and the Attic Fan

The main way in which an attic fan helps your AC unit cool your home is through the use of ventilation. By ventilating the attic area you will keep the area at a normal temperature. For attics without insulation, ventilation or the proper attic fan the temperature can be as much as 120° or higher on extremely hot days. This means that the AC unit is working overtime and causing strain on the unit, increased energy bills and the temperature of the house is nowhere near a comfortable temperature.

With proper ventilation the attic fan will be allowed to remove the hot air at reasonable rates. Though a thermostat is one of the best ways to help an attic fan work properly in order to insulate the attic area and keep the AC unit cooling homes properly, there are other methods for the attic fan to work. For example, there may be a switch that will flip on the attic fan at a certain temperature, some attic fans may be set to a timer to turn on at certain times of the day and others may be set to a solar switch of some kind. There are several attic fans on the market that can help keep the AC units running smoothly and keep the house cool with simple thermostats and ventilation devices.