Gable attic fans remove hot air from your attic, helping you more easily and less expensively cool your home. By removing hot air from above, air conditioners have to work less and homes stay cooler with less electricity usage.
A gable attic fan is a very simple device that doesn’t cost much, is easy to install and takes little or no electricity to operate. The savings on an electric bill can be substantial, however, when a gable attic fan is used properly to remove stale, hot air from the attic.
By some estimates, these devices can save you 30 to 40 percent on your electric bill.
In fact, every home needs some kind of whole house attic fan to get rid of stale air and bring in fresh, healthy air. Installation of expensive radiant barriers and additional insulation can often be avoided if you take a few minutes to install one of these simple fans.
Here are three intelligent tips for choosing the right gable attic fan for you home:
1. Choose the right size.
An attic fan that’s too small for your home won’t do a good enough job removing air from your attic to make any difference.
One that’s too large is even worse because it will waste electricity while creating something of a vacuum effect in your home, making doors more difficult to open and creating an unpleasant feeling of suction throughout the house.
Fortunately, fans are labeled by the manufacturer with home size ratings, making your choice easy.
2. Consider whether electricity is available in the mounting location.
To power conventional attic fans, you’ll need an electrical connection in the attic, something with which many homes are not equipped. Solar gable attic fans, however, come with a small solar panel that provides power to a DC motor when the sun is shining. Most don’t work after dark, but fans are less likely to be needed after dark anyway.
Since solar-powered attic fans cost nothing to operate, there’s no cost beyond the original purchase and installation expenses, making solar attic fans an even better value as time goes by.
3. Avoid noise by purchasing a quality product.
High-quality attic fans are quieter than cheaper ones, so choose quality and you’re choosing to have a quieter home too.
Also, keep in mind what room the gable attic fan will be mounted above because the sound from the fan will be most noticeable there.
If the gable end is above a bedroom or living area, choose an especially quiet fan. If it’s above a utility room, it may not matter as much.
Some Final Thoughts
Gable attic fans are amazingly simple devices that perform an amazingly valuable service when used properly.
With energy costs soaring, shaving dollars off your electric bill every month just by sucking the hot air from your attic seems such a small thing you may not be convinced it will make any difference.
Invest in gable attic fan, however, and you’ll soon see saving every month. Your home will be more comfortable, too, since it will be properly ventilated, and comfort is something on which you can’t put a price.
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