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8 Benefits of a Whole House Fan


by DoItYourself Staff

As the name suggests, a whole house fan can singly reduce the temperature in an entire house. However, the model and make of the whole house fan must be suitable for the house and its area. A whole house fan is installed in the ceiling of the upper level of a house, so that it is connected to the attic. A central location, air-tight installation, and good ventilation are all crucial to the successful operation of this appliance. There are several advantages to using a whole house fan in your home.

1 – Fast Operation

A whole house fan works by drawing hot air in a house to the attic, from where it is let out through the attic vents. The empty space left by the hot air is filled with cool, fresh air from outside the house. Compared to a central air conditioner, a whole house fan works much faster, and you begin to feel the cooling effects in minutes. However, a whole house fan will only do a cooling job if the external air is cooler than the air indoors.

2 – High Energy Efficiency

A whole house fan is much more environmentally friendly an option as compared to central air conditioners or room air conditioning units.

3 – Low Operating Costs

During operation, a whole house fan costs about 10% to 25% as much money as an air conditioner. It is far cheaper and you can save hundreds of dollars in your electric bill every summer.

4 – Easy Installation

Installing a whole house fan is easy and uncomplicated. It can be a do it yourself project, with minimal assistance from another person. Most whole house fans are built to accommodate roof trusses and attic joists, so minimal efforts are required.

5 – Low Cost of Appliance

A whole house fan generally costs half as much as a window air-conditioning unit. It can be 10 times cheaper than a central air conditioning unit. If you do not have extreme summer weather, this appliance can replace your air conditioner entirely.

6 – Removal of Stale Indoor Air

Because a whole house fan draws in hot air to the attic and then lets it out of the house, indoor air is considerably fresher. It helps in removal of odors, and provides excellent ventilation all around the house.

7 – Quiet Operation

Newer models of whole house fans are quiet in operation, and do not emit the loud, disturbing noises associated with large fans. You can operate a whole house fan throughout the night and enjoy a good night’s sleep.

8 – Reduced Need for Air Conditioning

When you use a whole house fan, the entire house can be effectively cooled down by drawing in air from the outside. When operated during the morning, evenings and nights during the summer, there is usually no need for air conditioning. In fact, you should not use an air conditioner at the same time as a whole house fan, because the cool air from the air conditioner will be let out of the house and replaced by air from outside.

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