The cost of air conditioning vs.
Attic fan help ac cost.
A three ton central air unit a common cooling system runs on about 3 kilowatts and costs about 36 cents an hour to run.
However the utility of attic ventilation fans is actually quite a controversial topic.
As stated above an attic fan can enable you to turn up your ac thermostat by as much as 10 degrees.
Most updated central air conditioned homes have a new air conditioner split system meaning the ac is broken up into parts.
An attic fan may not reduce your air conditioning costs but a whole house fan is a different story.
These run 100 to 300 each and installation costs around 100 units without a thermostat run between 80 and 100 you can buy a separate thermostat humidistat controller for 40 to 50 since attics account for up to 20 percent of the average cooling bill fans that.
Yes installing an attic fan raises the electric bill.
The safety and effectiveness of an attic fan is a subject that is hotly debated but line powered products usually cost more to operate than they can produce in savings during the summer.
The attic fan kept my house cooler by 8f compared to pre fan installation days.
Yet in summer the attic ventilation helps to keep attic temperatures down.
Temp 92 f at 5pm.
An outdoor unit which houses the fan condenser and compressor and an indoor unit which holds the evaporator and fan.
Attic hvac systems save space.
Most powered attic ventilators come with a thermostat which controls when the fan turns itself on.
After attic fan installation ac still off during day.
During workdays would leave air conditioner off when leaving in the morning.
In winter for instance attic vents help to remove moisture from the home.
A good window ac unit runs on 1 2 kilowatts and costs 14 cents an hour to run.
A good ceiling fan it draws only 30 watts to run costing about 1 cent per three hours of use.
They also create zones of negative pressure that could pull the ac cooled air into the attic.
So why put an hvac system up in the attic at all.
This ensures problems like mold and mildew are avoided.
Attic ventilation fans whether hard wired or powered by their own solar panels seem like a low cost and effective way to help keep your house cool.
If the attic fan increases the comfort level of the house it may be worth it.
Solar power is safer to use with an attic fan.
Good insulation reduces fan effectiveness.
This was observed on numerous days following the installation.
And that can result in real energy cost savings.
Well mainly it s a way to save space.
Just make sure you have the right climate to use one.
Fortunately though an attic fan will fend off this moisture before it has the chance to negatively impact your roof.
If the attic fan keeps the house cool enough so that the owners leave the ac off there is almost certainly an energy benefit.