Sturgis Journal - Sturgis, MI
  • About the House: Details about fans

  • The most recent issue of Fine Homebuilding had an article about whole-house fans and attic fans.
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  • The most recent issue of Fine Homebuilding had an article about whole-house fans and attic fans. I thought the article had good information worth sharing with you for the upcoming summer weather.
    A whole-house fan is generally mounted through the floor of the attic to the living space below. Its purpose is to pull cool, nighttime air from open windows through the house and force it into the attic, where it is pushed out of doors through the attic vents. These are generally turned on by a wall switch.
    In contrast, powered attic vent fans are typically located in the roof surface and are design to pull the heated attic air outdoors. A thermostat mounted in the attic usually turns on these fans.
    There are pros and cons to each, but the most important thing to remember is safety. Powered attic fans pull air out of the attic but must replace it with air drawn from somewhere. You might not be aware when it turns on, and if windows aren’t open it will pull air from everywhere it can; cracks in walls, doors, and windows, fireplaces and furnaces, even range hoods and bath vents.
    However, the worst is the flue of the gas-fired water heater. If the gas water heater fires while the attic fan is running, you risk backdrafts: carbon monoxide and other nasty gasses being pulled backward into the air you are breathing.
    A whole house fan, on the other hand, is turned on purposefully with the windows opened at the same time. This pulls a large amount of air into the house and even if the water heater starts up, there is enough air from the windows to prevent backdrafts. That’s a much safer scenario.
    With a whole house fan, you must seal it tightly shut in the winter to prevent heat loss, but that isn’t too much of a price to pay for cool summertime air. Plus, it’s cheaper than running an air conditioner.
    When thinking about fans, don’t eliminate regular old-fashioned ceiling fans.
    Whether you push the air up or down, they are useful in the winter as well as the summer. I personally like the gentle push of the air from a ceiling fan, making it more comfortable About the House.
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