Summer
is when you are most concerned about ventilating your home to bring down indoor
temperatures, allow fresh air to enter and reduce air conditioning costs. That
is why it is the season when the largest number of whole house fans are
purchased. What many homeowners do not realize is that the whole house fan is
as important in winter as it is in summer. Winter is when temperature
variations increase – warmer in the day and colder at night. This leads to the
accumulation of moisture indoors through condensation. This moisture can cause
leaks to develop, damage insulation, cause wood to rot and enable the growth of
mold and fungus which can be serious health hazards. The whole house fan is very effective in
reducing the moisture that collects inside a home in colder weather and by
doing so makes the house a safer and healthier place to live in.
What Happens Indoors In Winter
In
the summer the hot air in the house rises and collects in the highest part, the
attic. From here heat radiates through the structure, make the whole home hot.
In winter, the opposite happens. Domestic activities like washing, bathing,
doing laundry, cooking and so on cause increased levels of water vapor in the
air. The heating that is used in winter causes the warm air to rise up to the
attic. Here it cools down and the moisture it contains is lost by way of
condensation. This causes dampness to form
on surfaces like roof sheathing, rafters, trusses and so on. It also collects
on all the miscellaneous items stored in the attic. The moisture may appear to
be negligible in quantity, but over time it can seep into wood and enter joints and cracks in the cement and other structural components. As
already mentioned, this can cause insulation damage, wood rot, electrical short
circuits, mold and fungus and other problems. Beyond this, the moisture can
form actual water drops and fall on the attic floor. From here it can seep down
to the ceilings of the rooms below and cause water spots, paint damage, crumbly
ceilings and even more mold and fungus formation. The effect of this humidity
on the health of the occupants of the house can be serious. The cost of
repairing the water damage can also be very high.
The Fan Solution
Running
a whole house fan in winter may seem ridiculous. But it does make sense. Using
the fan for short periods will not have a significant impact on any heating
that may be being used. However, it will cause the moisture to be blown out of
the house, making it much healthier and safer. The days of summer are slowly
fading away but that does not mean that it is not the right time to invest in a whole house fan. Contact the dealer of a
reputed whole house fan manufacturer and ask him to enumerate the benefits and
savings that can accrue from using a whole house fan in winter.
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