Older homes like many of those found in our area offer beautiful architecture and plenty of historic charm, but their lack of air conditioning can keep things rather warm when the temperature starts climbing. For older homes and other buildings without central air conditioning, whole house fans provide a great option to cool you off without the expense of installing central air conditioning (or getting a window A/C unit for every room in the house).
What is a whole house fan?
A whole house fan substitutes or significantly augments a central household A/C system by using natural cooling and airflow through the house. Specifically, a whole house fan pulls air in from open windows and exhausts it through the attic and roof. It provides good attic ventilation in addition to whole house cooling.
Why use a whole house fan?
In many places, a whole house fan can save you significant money on your electrical bills by reducing your need for an air conditioner. While that holds true even for homes in northern Wyoming, the biggest reason for whole house fans in our area is to help cool off older homes that lack central air conditioning. As the weather gets warmer, much of the heat in your house actually comes from hot air trapped in your attic. This air keeps your house hot even as outside temperatures cool off. A whole house fan vents the hot air from your attic while simultaneously drawing cooler outside air in through open windows.
In addition to saving money on energy costs, whole house fans are often simpler (and therefore cheaper) to install. For a homeowner in Wyoming, the cost of installing central air conditioning in an older home often seems unreasonable compared to the relatively short season for which it’s needed. Compared to this, whole house fans give you a more economical option to cool your home when things warm up.
Our recommended whole house fan is QuietCool. The video below from QuietCool explains how whole house fans work to cool your home. All things considered, a whole house fan and an attic fan together can help you save money, enjoy better health, and cool your home for just pennies an hour.