Whole House Fans are designed to replace the warm air in the house with cooler outside air. The fan pulls cool air into to the house through small openings in windows or doors, pulls the warm house air up into the attic and pushes the hot attic air outside through the attic vents.
How do I use it?
A Whole House Fan is effective when the outside temperature is cooler than the temperature inside your home. The Fan is used in the mornings to get a jump on the afternoon heat. The fan is used again in the afternoon or early evening once the outdoor temperature is 85 degrees or cooler. It will take about 5 to 10 air exchanges through your home to cool not only the air, but the walls and furnishings as well. A fan properly sized for your home will exchange the air in 2 to 3 minutes. Typically, your home should be cooled within 20 minutes. Because the Fan is so inexpensive to operate, most home owners run the Fan for extended times to enjoy the fresh air and the cooling affect of cool air moving over the surface of the skin. The whole House Fan helps remove unwanted odors, smoke, germs, stale stuffy air and moisture effectively in minutes.
How much does a Whole House Fan cost to operate?
Whole House Fans are available with 1/3 and ½ horsepower motors. If your cost for electricity is 12 cents per kilowatt-hour, the cost to operate the Fan will be approximately 3 cents to 6 cents per hour. By comparison, an air conditioner for a 2,000 square foot home will typically cost 80 cents per hour to operate. Consequently, your home cooling costs can be reduced up to 90% because the air conditioner needs to run only a few hours during the afternoon. The Whole House Fan can cool your home the rest of the day and night.
Will it work for me?
There are two requirements for a Whole House Fan to work. Your house must have an attic and adequate venting to exhaust the heat through the attic.