Powered Attic Ventilation Problems

If the attic fan isn t turning on it could be an electrical issue a problem with the thermostat or the motor of the fan that s not working.

Powered attic ventilation problems.

Attic ventilation problems can be caused by a number of things. I understand that powered attic ventilators have a lot of problems. Sealed attics trap excessive heat and moisture which can lead to reduced shingle life. According to the article powered attic fans can create excess moisture structural problems and combustion safety in a home.

But my contractor is suggesting adding one to support a whole house fan due to the limited attic ventilation. Attic fan not turning on. Here are some of the myths and the facts you need to know about attic ventilation. The science behind attic ventilation however is sound.

One potential problem would be sucking moist moldy air up from the crawl space into the house. At temperatures of 150 f or more that s a lot of heat sitting there in that plywood or osb. Although there are some benefits to this fact you may discover that there isn t enough strength to push the air out of the attic like you want. The research concluded that if a powered attic ventilator will be used there must be a good air barrier between the living space and the attic.

The suggested remedy was to increase the powered attic ventilation and turn on bath fans to remove moisture from the structure. Power attic ventilators can cause problems even without air conditioning. The underside of the roof deck can get very hot so hot you can t keep your hand on it. This actually exacerbated the problem by increasing the pressure difference moving more humid outside air through the building cavity which created more condensation on the sheet metal duct.

Both of these problems are either caused or made worse by inadequate attic ventilation. Hello i really appreciate this website. In the summer we get calls about hot attics. These are real problems from real houses that have really happened.

A lack of intake ventilation is one of the biggest items. More attic ventilation is good. Just like properly sizing your furnace and air conditioning unit you want precisely the right amount of attic ventilation for your home. Air movement can be a significant problem with some models.

If you choose solar attic fans over the traditional models then you are installing a product that will not be as powerful. Another would be backdrafting a water heater and putting carbon monoxide in the house. I do have some passive ventilation but not quite enough and the gables are maxed out because it s a flat roof so as long as i always run both fans at the same time and as. In the winter we get calls about wet attics.