Attic Fan Installation

"What's All The Buzz?"

It is summer time, the weather is hot, you're sweating and you're wondering why all of your neighbor's roofs are buzzing. "What is that gentle humming noise coming from above?"

What you're hearing is the sound of an efficient home cooling system!

Before you go to the nearest home improvement store, and/or call your trusted trades provider to have one installed on your home,read further to see what our pro's have been saying about attic fan installation.

Care About Comfort?

Increasing the comfort level in a home is one of the largest reasons that people choose to invest in an attic fan for their home. Just spend one moment in your attic during the summer and you can expect to experience

1. -unbearable heat
2. -suffocating air
3. -stale/stagnant environment

In some parts of the country, and under certain circumstances, you can add humidity and mold to that list of unpleasantries.

With high levels of trapped heat and air, attics can become a steamy cesspool that increase energy costs. Heat will radiate through attic floors, home ceilings and into your living space. All of this translates into higher energy costs to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.

Hear what an expert has to say on the topic. Duane from E.M. Blue Roofing in Atlanta has more experience than most in diagnosing roof problems. With nearly 40 years in the industry, and an emphasis on skilled roof repair, he has crawled through all types of attics in search of leak sources.

“If you aren’t using your attic fan, you’re missing a huge opportunity to keep your house cool. Most people never set foot in their attic… For a good reason. They are HOT! Worse yet, people think their attic fans are functioning properly when in actuality, they haven’t worked for years.”

Duane addresses another very important benefit that attic fans have in respect to asphalt shingles. “Shingles are tough, but when exposed to excessive heat for extended periods of time, the lifespan decreases dramatically.”

Keeping an attic cool will have the added benefit of prolonging the lifespan of your roof. With roofs being such a vital element of protection for your home, and a costly investment, it is worth doing everything possible to keep it in tip top shape. Sufficiently cooling an attic with an attic fan, homeowners have the potential to save $1,000’s in longer roof life expectancy and fewer roof repairs.

Asphalt shingles that have been exposed to excessively high temperatures will have the appearance of curling edges and will be more brittle in texture.

Attic fans are very efficient, but they aren’t the only option. Many other roof products have been designed to allow heat to escape from attic spaces. Some of the most common ones that are seen on houses today are ridge vents, roof vents and air vents.

Each of these function using the heat gradient that is generated by the hot sun heating up the air in your attic. As the hot air rises, it will find its way out through the vents in a passive manner. No additional energy is spent in removing this hot air through passive ridge and roof vents. Soffits are vented to allow for cooler air in the shade of your roof to enter your attic and replace the hot air that is flowing out.

There is also an air vent that has the appearance of an upside down egg beater. Some people call them a “whirlybird” or a “chef’s hat.” This unit also acts from the passive motion of air following upward following a temperature gradient. With a turbine/egg beater appearance, it will spin and gain momentum which increases air flow. These units also spin in windy environments.

For those who don’t want to take a passive vent approach to moving air and cooling their attics, a power vent is the solution. They are commonly installed on the sloped portion of a roof. For greatest efficiency and to comply with the manufacturer’s suggestion, it is preferable to install them near the ridge, or highest point on the roof.

The gabled portion of a wall is another option for your attic fan installation. A roof gable is the triangular appearing shape at the top of a roof peak. Power vents installed on gables are usually covered by a protective grate that keeps them hidden from view.

Whether installed on your roof, or on your gable, the attic fan will need a source of power. This is when it is best to contact a professional who is licensed, skilled and experienced with attic fan installation. John Newman is an Electrician in Manassas, Virginia who is accustomed to helping homeowners cool down their attics with a professionally installed attic fan. John says “Attic fans are great, but they need to be checked frequently. Since they are so quiet, and located high on your roof, it is hard to know if they are operating or not. A local electrician is able to quickly verify if your unit is operating up to par.” Additionally John says “Here in Virginia, we have a high level of humidity. I am a big advocate of attic fans that have humidity sensors that power up the unit when high levels of moisture are detected.

If you’re looking to beat the summer heat and keep your home/roof protected, then consider installing an attic fan. The benefits are both immediate and long-lasting.