There’s nothing worse than coming home from a long day to a hot and stuffy house. Yet here in Southern California, many homeowners are familiar with this uncomfortable reality. Thankfully, there is an effective way to cool down your house other than installing an expensive central air conditioning system.

It’s called the whole house fan.

This type of fan is one of the most effective methods for cooling your home while keeping costs down. This simple yet effective ventilation system will ensure you come home to a cool and comfortable house all year long.

 

How a Whole House Fan Works

Before we dive into the benefits of installing this type of fan, it’s important to understand how it works.

Whole house fans are installed in your attic and work by exchanging hot air inside your home for cooler air from outside it.

When turned on, the fan pulls warm house air into your attic. Thanks to positive pressure, the air in the attic is pushed out through the vents or gables of your house. This also helps create a negative pressure in your living space, which draws cooler air in through your windows (which will need to be open while the fan is on).

 

Benefits of a Whole House Fan

There are many reasons why installing a whole house fan in your home makes sense. Here are 7 really good ones.

Dramatic Cooling Potential

Installing a whole house fan can reduce your need for air conditioning in Southern California by up to 50%. Save for days with extreme heat, the fan will do an excellent job of creating air circulation, keeping your home feeling cool without the need for an energy-intensive air conditioner.

Since the fan works by swapping out warm air from inside with cooler outside air, the best time to turn on your fan is from dusk through just after dawn.

In general, plan to run your fan whenever outdoor temperatures are lower than indoor temperatures. You’ll want to keep your windows open while the fan is running.

Once running, it takes about 20 minutes for the fan to cool off a 2,500 square foot house.

Avoid A Dry, Freezing Home

Yes, a whole house fan keeps your house cool and comfortable– but it also keeps it from getting too cold. A cool house is nice, an icebox is not.

Another reason many prefer a fan over central air conditioning is it maintains a pleasant, refreshing temperature without drying out the air. A fan also creates a very gentle breeze that many find extremely pleasant.

Better Air Quality in Your Home

A whole house fan is highly effective in keeping the air in your home fresh and free of allergens. Traditional AC units can cause your indoor air quality to go stale. Whole house fans, on the other hand, pull stale indoor air upwards and out the top of the house through attic vents.

These fans are a great solution for houses with poor air quality problems, including:

  • Pet dander and pet odor
  • Dirt and dust
  • VOCs
  • Rot, mold, or fungi

Whole house fans typically offer 30 to 60 air changes per hour. Since this change removes nasty air pollutants from your home, this type of cooling system is an excellent choice for people who suffer from allergies.

Quiet Operation

Large fans are often associated with loud, distracting noises. While some older fans are known for being loud, you won’t have any problem if you work with an experienced electrician.

By using a quality, properly installed house fan, the sound of your fan is hardly noticeable. Even light sleepers can enjoy a good night’s sleep in your quiet (and cool) house.

Highly Energy Efficient

A fan is a much more energy efficient than a traditional air conditioning unit. In fact, this fan typically uses about 200 and 700 watts, compared to a central air conditioner which pulls 2,000 to 5,000 watts.

With energy prices steadily creeping upwards, finding ways to cut your energy usage is important. Whole house fans are a great place to start, but there are plenty of other options, too! From installing solar panels to planting more trees on your property, there are a lot of ways to reduce your energy use.

Lower Utility Bill Costs

Whole house fans are not only good for the environment, they’re also healthy for your wallet. The cost of a fan is much more affordable than a central air conditioning unit. Beyond this one-time product cost, you’ll also enjoy lower monthly utility bills.

Cooling your home with a fan can often eliminate the need for air conditioning entirely. At the very least, it will reduce the amount of time you use air conditioning. Since air conditioning can cost up to 70 times more than running a fan, you’ll notice a drop in your monthly energy costs.

Increases Your Resale Value

While installing a fan may seem like a small thing, it can be a big draw for future homebuyers– especially in an environmentally conscious place like Southern California. Homebuyers want energy efficiency. In fact, a new study found energy efficient homes sell for 7% more.

Beyond energy efficiency, home buyers want to know they can live comfortably in a house. That means having an effective cooling system in place.

 

Call Inter Faith to Install a Whole House Fan

These fans should always be installed by an experienced professional. Trying to do it yourself can result in a noisy or ineffective system. If you’re interested in installing a whole house fan, give us a call at (661) 245-3224. Or contact us online. We’d love to hear from you.