Benefits Of A CentricAir & QA-Deluxe Whole House Fan
A whole house fan pushes hot air out through the attic vents and brings cool, fresh air in through open windows.
Are you looking for information about the pros
and cons of whole house fans?
Many
homeowners absolutely love their whole house fan, but they’re not for
everyone. If you want to see if a whole
house fan may be right for you, take a look at the following pros and cons of
whole house fans to get the info you need.
Remove the stale indoor air that can contain airborne pathogens and viruses from inside your home
Comfort Cool whole house fans are designed to bring in cool, fresh, clean air from outside the home while removing the hot stale air from inside, significantly improving the quality of air your family breathes.
According to the Lung Association, effective ventilation may help keep bacteria, viruses and other pollutants out of the indoor air. Research shows that airflow and ventilation can alter how diseases spread indoors. The more stagnant the air is, the more likely diseases are to spread. Like the lungs, homes need to be able to breathe to make sure that fresh air comes in and dirty air goes out. Indoor air can build up high levels of moisture, odors, gases, dust, and other air pollutants. To keep the air safe indoors, fresh outdoor air is needed to dilute these indoor pollutants
Pros: Why People Love Whole House Fans
Whole house fans can help homeowners save a significant amount of money on their cooling costs in climates where the evenings and nights are cool.
New models like our CentricAir and QA-Deluxe whole house fans cost just pennies an hour to run.
Newer models are significantly quieter than traditional style whole house fans.
New models do not require any framing or modifications to your roof and due to their energy efficiency, they do not require a dedicated power source.
New whole house fans require little to no maintenance. No belts to adjust or replace.
Circulates the air in the home and attic to provide cool comfort.
Cons: Why People Don’t Like Whole House Fans
Most of the complaints about whole house exhaust fans are from homeowners who either didn’t get a good installation or are living with an older model. Whole house fans entered the market about 75 years ago and have been greatly improved by manufacturers like Centric Air.
With newer models that are well made and properly installed, you should not have to deal with most of the following cons of whole house fans. However, they’re still not for everyone, so read on!
Older style whole house fans often use up to 1000 watts of electricity. An older air conditioner can use up to 15,000 watts of energy per hour.
Building codes often require about 1 foot of attic ventilation for every 750 CFM (airflow); some homes cannot accommodate the amount of attic ventilation that the older, traditional style whole house fans require. If installed anyway, they won’t work properly.
Older style whole house fans that are powerful enough to create a breeze through the house, can often produce unintended consequences such as noise, heat loss, and can over pressurization forcing hot attic air back into the house.
You must open windows. Owners that do not open windows while the fan is running can create a backdraft causing negative pressure in the home.
Older models are very loud and an improper installation can cause the unit to vibrate and make excessive noise.
Older belt-driven models require maintenance every couple of years.
Some older models require extensive framing in the attic and also a dedicated power source. This can be very costly.
Whole house fans are best used in climates where the evening and nights are cool. They do not work well when there is a lot of humidity. Mild humidity is ok.
