Attic Fan Versus Air Conditioner

Compared to an air conditioning unit whole house fans are much less expensive to operate more environmentally friendly and more efficient at cooling.

Attic fan versus air conditioner. Both types of attic fans are popular as solar powered equipment. A good ceiling fan it draws only 30 watts to run costing about 1 cent per three hours of use. How is an ac system different. An air conditioner while serving many of the same purposes is different than a whole house fan.

In others you ll need air. When used in conjunction with an air conditioner ceiling fans may allow you to set your thermostat at a higher temperature and still be comfortable thereby reducing your overall energy consumption. Rooftop fans are installed right on top of the roof and perform two tasks at once. Just make sure you have the right climate to use one.

Energy usage of about 40 watts at medium speed is typical. According to the article. Gable fans operate as two separate units on opposite sides of the attic. A good window ac unit runs on 1 2 kilowatts and costs 14 cents an hour to run.

A three ton central air unit a common cooling system runs on about 3 kilowatts and costs about 36 cents an hour to run. One to blow in the other to blow out. When set at low speed fans use between 15 and 30 watts and at high speed they consume between 50 and 100 watts. Doubters of attic fan efficiency claim that even solar powered attic fans which cost more initially but run off the grid can take 20 years to provide a return on the investment.

A whole house fan moves air throughout the entire home including the living space and attic while an attic fan merely circulates air inside the attic. In some instances a fan will suffice. The electricity consumption of a ceiling fan ranges widely depending on the design and the speed setting of the fan. Running a fan is always a lot cheaper than running an air conditioner.

Using attic fans in cold climates. When the conditions are right whole house fans are an energy efficient alternative to central air conditioning systems. The cost of air conditioning vs. An attic fan may not reduce your air conditioning costs but a whole house fan is a different story.

This prevents hot air from seeping into your home and driving up the temperature in the living space which reduces the load on your air conditioner. Keep in mind that they re doing two separate things. Expelling the stagnant air and replacing it with cooler air.