When Should You Use an Attic Fan?

When those summer months come, there can be times when not even your central air conditioning can keep up. To keep things cool during those hot summer months, as well as to reap a variety of benefits that come from using an attic fan to regulate temperature and moisture throughout your home.

But when should you use an attic fan? Just during the summer or is it also useful in the winter? Should you use it during the day or night? 

The correct answer is all of the above.

What Time of Year Should You Use Your Attic Fan?

Using your attic fan in the summer seems like a no-brainer to remove heat from an attic to help lower the overall temperature in your house. It does so by bringing outside air in, which allows for ventilation that keeps your attic from trapping hot air.

You can (and should) use your attic fan in the winter as well. Though it seems counterintuitive, it’s actually a great way to keep moisture down by drawing in dry air to break up any ice and prevent mold.

What Time of Day Should You Use Your Attic Fan?

During the summer, it’s most beneficial to use an attic fan at night, when the air is cooler. Doing so amplifies the positive cooling effects that an attic fan creates for your home.

As a general rule for the summer use of an attic fan, you should only be using your attic fan when the outside air is cooler than the inside. Otherwise, you could just be pulling warm air into your cool house, which defeats the purpose.

During the winter, you want to make sure to only run your attic fan when it’s above 0 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Summary

Attic fans can be great tools to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home and keep down air dampness when used correctly.

Using an attic fan at these times will maximize the beneficial effects of this useful tool.