SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Blog

Tips for Homeowners: Attic Fans in Southwest Florida

You’re probably familiar with how hot your attic can get in the summer - in some homes, it could even reach over 130 degrees! However, because heat rises, your attic could feel uncomfortably stuffy and humid all year round. For some homeowners, this doesn’t raise any initial warning flags, especially if they’re only popping in a few times a year for things like Christmas decorations. While you don’t necessarily need to make your attic as comfortable as the rest of your home, excessive heat and humidity can cause damage to your home, insulation material, and even increase the risk of health hazards.

While insulation and air sealing can help keep your home temperature regulated and take off some of the brutal heat that tends to get collected upstairs, attic fans can be a significant aid in reducing troubling temperatures. Attic fans are helpful ventilation tools that keep air moving throughout the uppermost part of your home. While they can be solar-powered, an energy-efficient trend that can cut your heating and cooling costs tremendously, they're not particularly complicated devices. They're a type of vent that helps circulate out hotter indoor air and bring in cooler air from outside. Our insulation experts from Koala Insulation of Southwest Florida have put together a breakdown of how attic fans work and contribute to a safe and comfortable home.

How Do Attic Fans Work?

Circulation and Ventilation

One of the primary purposes of attic fans is to help ventilate your home. It’s a common myth that having too much insulation or air sealing creates a stuffy home and that the house needs to be able to “breathe”. Other systems in your home contribute to proper ventilation, allowing the insulation and sealing material to do their jobs maintaining temperature regulation. Attic fans and vents circulate indoor and outdoor air so unwanted heat is exchanged for cooler air from outside. This is a much healthier alternative for allowing your home to “breathe” than trying to reduce your air sealing; the cracks and gaps throughout your building envelope that let in outside air and pollutants freely move about your home isn’t doing you or your household any good.

Moisture and Mold

Attic fans aren't only useful for playing traffic guard to incoming and outgoing air. They also dissipate humidity and moisture, helping to prevent mold growth and potential minor water damage buildup. This is especially important in the winter when the heat from your attic is competing with the cold air along your roof; by regularly circulating the air, the attic fans help prevent moisture build-up from the contact of the two temperatures and resulting condensation. Mold is a common problem that gets overlooked in attics, mostly because of infrequent visits but also from unfamiliarity with the early warning signs. By having a regular inspection of your home's insulation and air sealing, industry experts can catch potential problem areas before they can grow into a health hazard and excessive property damage.

Insulation and Air Sealing

Attic fans significantly contribute to a longer lifespan on the insulation material in your attic. Most insulation types should last for about 15 years, but because of neglect and "out of sight, out of mind" syndrome, damages, natural weathering, and even pest infestations increase the rate of deterioration. Proper insulation coverage is responsible for the regulation of heat transfer; this is the rate at which heat enters or exits the house, walls, floors, and ceilings. By installing attic fans in your home, you reduce the need for maintenance, removal, and reinstallation of your insulation materials.

Should I Invest in an Attic Fan? 

After learning more about how attic fans can help contribute to a safe and comfortable home, it's understandable to look for the catch. Luckily, the benefits of attic fans still extend into their cost and return on investment. They contribute to the energy efficiency of your home by assisting the HVAC system, regulating the temperature so the unit doesn't need to work as hard to keep the home cool or warm. After the initial installation cost and the cost to run them regularly during the day, they give back by reducing other costs: insulation maintenance, costs for a burnt-out HVAC system, mold and weathering damages, etc.

However, it's important to note that not every home is designed with the ability to easily install and run a new attic fan or ventilation system. Especially if your home was built before the 1990s, you may be looking at insulation and air-sealing problems on top of drafty and uncomfortable temperatures. If you're concerned about the installation process and whether an attic fan is more trouble than good, it's crucial to call an industry expert to review the current condition of your home. At Koala Insulation of Southwest Florida, we're dedicated to finding the right solutions for your home that work around your household’s schedule and budget. Our team has insulation experts that are not only familiar with older homes and their capabilities, but who are also knowledgeable in what will make your Southwest Florida home more comfortable without sacrificing costs.

Helping Your Southwest Florida Home

You don’t need to turn your attic into the next hosting room for your guests and family. It’s normal for most upper floors to feel warmer and with your attic right under the roof, temperature regulation is a tremendous feat without extensive preparation. However, your attic is a prime area to put in certain indoor air quality control measures. Attic fans are a central part of maintaining proper ventilation, removing moisture, and extending your insulation material’s lifespan.

When it comes to having proper ventilation, insulation, and air sealing, it's crucial to have the right tools and guidance from those experienced in the industry. Even when considering taking on your attic as a DIY renovation project, having an insulation expert on your side can reduce risks and prevent costly mistakes. With our team at Koala Insulation of Southwest Florida, we provide free evaluations to give you a thorough breakdown of the current condition of your home's insulation material. Contact us today to learn more about attic fans, energy efficiency, and how insulation can contribute to a safe and comfortable household.