Solar Attic Fans In Winter

When focusing on solar attic fans, we constantly talk about the benefits of keeping your attic, crawl space and garage from overheating in the summer. The cycle extends the life of your roofing materials, as well as the life of anything stored in your attic or garage. But what about winter?

Attic ventilation in winter

Are there any benefits to using solar attic fans in the winter? The further north you go, the colder it gets in winter, so you may not have much hot air to ventilate in your attic. Does this mean you don't need a fan in the winter?

Proper attic ventilation is vital, no matter what time of year it is. Most of the year you have to worry about removing excess heat from your attic. However, this is not the only benefit your attic ventilation fan offers.

Venting harmful toxins

Attics house all sorts of things that give off potentially dangerous fumes. Some of these - paints, aerosols, cleaners - you probably already know about. But even more innocuous items such as arts and crafts items containing some sort of glue, plastic products - including plastic storage bins of any kind - and rodenticides can accumulate potentially harmful odours and toxins in your attic space. This is where your attic fan comes in. Proper ventilation doesn't completely eliminate the risk, but it does help mitigate the risk of storing these items in this confined space.

Prevent moisture build-up

Moisture is another threat to the integrity of your home that your solar attic ventilation fan is unknowingly battling on a daily basis. In a confined space like an attic, the lack of air flow is a prime environment for moisture, bringing with it mould and dust. Once mould gains a foothold, they will eat away at your belongings stored in the attic and find their way into the walls of the house itself. Once inside, it will spread throughout the walls, eroding the integrity of the structure and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.

If you live in a cold enough climate, moisture buildup in an uninsulated attic can also lead to the possibility of icing. Small ice crystals can cause astonishing damage in a very short period of time. This is why it is vital to properly ventilate and insulate your attic and garage space, no matter what climate you live in.