Optimal Attic Temperature

Attic ventilators generally turn on between 90 and 110 degrees fahrenheit.

Optimal attic temperature.

Hang an outdoor thermometer in your attic making sure its range reaches at least 130 degrees fahrenheit. Whether it s 110 f or 130 f there s not much difference in the amount of heat flowing from the attic to the living space below. Most attic fans operate with a thermostat that automatically turns the fan on and off based on a temperature the homeowner sets. The reason is that attic fans depressurize attics and can rob air conditioned air from the main body of the house greatly decreasing efficiency.

Just make sure the ceiling is airtight and fully insulated and the temperature in the attic doesn t matter much. That said attic fans are not the best choice for cooling attics especially if you have central air conditioning. Most manufacturers and contractors recommend a temperature setting between 100 and 110 degrees fahrenheit. A standard powered exhaust vent turns on when the temperature inside the attic reaches a pre set limit and runs until the temperature drops.

While these powered vents do effectively draw out the. Cold outdoor temperatures especially below freezing can wear on your furnace. When it comes to adjusting the thermostat of your attic s fan it s best to adjust it to approximately 90 to 95 degrees. Hot summer weather poses the opposite problem for maintaining recommended attic temperatures.

Of course some environments are much hotter than others so this will be the perfect time to measure out how warm your attic will get during the most heated of seasons. Hang pencil and paper next to the thermometer and record the outdoor and attic temperatures.