Whole-House Fan: A whole-house fan pulls outdoor air through open windows and across the occupied rooms. It then exhausts the warmer indoor air through the attic vents. Its primary purpose is to ventilate and cool the living space when outdoor conditions are favorable.
Attic Fan: An attic fan ventilates only the attic. It draws replacement air through attic intake vents and exhausts hot attic air outdoors. An attic fan does not create a breeze through your bedrooms, kitchen, or living room and does not require the home’s windows to be open. Some homes may benefit from one system, while others may benefit from both. Your Cooper Green Team can explain which option addresses your actual comfort concern.
Whole-House Fan vs. Air Conditioning: A whole-house fan and an air conditioner cool the home in different ways. An air conditioner removes heat from indoor air and recirculates cooled air through the home. It can provide cooling even when the outdoor temperature is high. A whole-house fan does not mechanically refrigerate the air. It replaces warmer indoor air with cooler outdoor air, so its effectiveness depends on outdoor temperature and air quality.
Proper Sizing and Attic Ventilation MatterA whole-house fan must be sized around the home’s square footage, ceiling height, layout, desired airflow, and available attic exhaust ventilation.
The attic also needs enough vent area to release the air being moved into it. Without adequate ventilation, the fan may not perform correctly and can pressurize the attic.
The Department of Energy also recommends sealing openings between the attic and living space so attic air is not forced back into the home. Proper support, electrical work, clearances, and airflow are additional reasons whole-house fans should be professionally installed.
Combustion Appliance SafetyBecause a whole-house fan moves a large volume of air, an improperly operated or installed system may create pressure conditions that affect certain fuel-burning appliances.
Homes with atmospherically vented water heaters, furnaces, fireplaces, or other combustion equipment should be evaluated before installation. The fan should always be operated with the recommended windows open.
The Department of Energy warns that inadequate replacement air can contribute to backdrafting, particularly with combustion equipment located inside the conditioned home.