An attic fan, as the name implies, is designed to cool the attic. Their primary advantage is keeping the attic cooler thereby extending the life of the shingles and they do keep the house itself a little cooler. They do need to be sized and positioned correctly for maximum effectiveness and depending on the size and configuration of your attic, you may need more than one fan. There are some that say they are a waste of money because they create only localized cooling (air takes the path of least resistance) and/or if the attic is vented properly, no additional cooling is necessary.

A whole house fan works best in climates or seasons where there are warm days and cool nights. They are placed in a central location (on the second floor if applicable). Basically you open the windows and flip on the fan, which pulls cool air in and pushes hot air into the attic. Again they need to be sized correctly and your attic needs to be vented properly to give the air some place to go. They can eliminate the need for air conditioning, which is why your utility is giving a rebate. Since you are moving a lot of air, they can be noisy.

We have a whole house fan that I'm pretty sure was put in our house when it was built in the 1980's. Here in Florida it's only cool enough outside to use it a few weeks out of the year but when I can use use it I love it. It creates a breeze throughout the house and I've watched the thermometer and have seen the house cool by 4 degrees within 20 minutes of turning it on. Our unit isn't any louder than the air conditioner. We're in the process of building a new home and I plan to install one in the new house but haven't looked into what's currently available. If anyone has any recommendation on a whole house fan (brand you like) please post it. Thanks!

What is a Whole House Fan?

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A whole house fan is an exhaust system that vents a home’s air into the attic, circulating air throughout the entire building. Essentially, it consists of a fan that is installed into a system of ducts or a vent and acts as the motor for the entire ventilation process.

It pulls the air out of a home’s living space and forces it into the attic by pulling in cooler, fresh air from the outside through open windows. If the home does not have an attic, the air will be forced outside. Once inside the attic, the air is forced outward through the vents and soffits. This system not only cools the house, it also creates better attic ventilation, which can have many benefits.

Solar Star Ventilation Fans:

• Pulls heat from your attic and structure of your home

• Provide a more comfortable interior

• Lower air conditioning energy bills