Attic Air Comfort with Exhaust Fans

Posted on November 4th, 2007 in Attic by fan

Most of the houses that are built or bought have attics. Attics are rooms that are typically found near the ceiling or in the mezzanine. The location of attics makes these rooms susceptible to heat and trapped air that can reach as high as 150 degrees Fahrenheit during hot climate. This temperature is hot enough to cook an egg sunny side up. On rainy and cold weather, attics get uncomfortable due to high humidity level. To channel the heat and moisture from the attics, attic exhaust fans are installed.

Attic exhaust fans are specially designed for attic use. Attics in our homes absorb the heat from the roofs. These tiny and often unnoticed rooms serve as insulation from the heat of the sun and the cold of the rain and snow. The heat is felt in the living space when the trapped air becomes more concentrated and stagnant in the attics. When in cold season, the attics become concentrated with humidity that is felt and seen through the fogging and steaming of walls and windows.

There are two types of attic exhaust fans. One is designed for the attic space only. This attic exhaust fan type provides ventilation in the attic to reduce the temperature. The other type is the whole house attic exhaust fan which starts the ventilation process in the attic and replaces the stagnant air with cooler air from the outside down to the living space.

When the attic is properly ventilated, it gives a number of benefits. Lower energy consumption is achieved with attic exhaust fan installation. On cold months, ventilation in the attics provides cooler air in the living area and on hot and humid months, attic exhaust fans reduce the temperature in the attics that is felt in the living area. Another benefit is protection. Attic exhaust fans provide ventilation in the attics where most unused belongings are kept for further disposal or usage. Little do we know that attics are the breeding place of bacteria and other microorganisms. And just by going up in the attic to retrieve an old board game increases the moisture content by a hundred.

Attics need ventilation as much as the living area of the house. These rooms serve as buffer from the heat and moisture from the outside environment. Proper attic ventilation helps in safekeeping our furniture and other fixtures from stagnant air damage. It also keeps bacteria from spreading.

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Do You Need an Attic Exhaust Fan?

Posted on October 6th, 2007 in Attic by fan

Sometimes called a loft, an attic is that portion or space in the house that is located immediately below the roof normally equipped with an attic exhaust fan. Most homeowners use the attic as a storage area for old household items that are no longer in use but cannot be thrown away because of their sentimental value. Items stored in attics may include old photo albums, letters and documents and even toys and small furniture.

Precisely because it is used as a storage area, the attic is the least visited, and consequently, the least maintained portion of the house. But even so, this does not mean that good loft ventilation should not be provided through an attic exhaust fan. Otherwise, too much moisture may accumulate in the air that would encourage the growth of molds in the attic.

There are rare times, though, that you will have to climb up your attic to remove animals that have intruded such as rodents, birds and bats or even perhaps, find out where leaking water is coming from in the attic. Be careful in threading across your attic floor because some attics do not have floorboards nailed on joists that are sturdy enough to support your weight. Just in case your attic is this type of construction, always keep in mind to step on the joists for your own safety. With a good flashlight, you would be able to locate the source of the water leak on the ceiling and readily patch it up.

If you find animal droppings from birds or vermin, be sure to clean these up using a respiratory mask and protective clothing. It is during times like these that you will thank yourself for installing an attic exhaust fan that would otherwise make your storage place a moldy, inhospitable place to do necessary repair and maintenance work.

Unattended water leakage or high moisture in the air will eventually result in the growth of molds, causing wood rot, structural damage and disintegration of valuable documents and clothing stored in the attic. Aside from the damage that molds can inflict on the structure and stored items, mold growths pose major health concerns especially to allergic individuals, the elderly, infants and other occupants of the house who have a predisposition to respiratory diseases. This usually happens when there is no attic exhaust fan ventilation that would expel accumulated moisture.

Regular preventive maintenance visits to your attic and the installation of an attic exhaust fan will go a long way in preserving the quality of air and the condition of your old and memorable stuff stored up in your attic. So, before the cold season sets in, consult your nearest dealer on the best attic exhaust fan for your needs.

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