Optimal Attic Temperature

Quelch the heat wave.

Optimal attic temperature.

That said attic fans are not the best choice for cooling attics especially if you have central air conditioning. Attic ventilators generally turn on between 90 and 110 degrees fahrenheit. Hang an outdoor thermometer in your attic making sure its range reaches at least 130 degrees fahrenheit. Attics can reach temperatures of 150 to 160 degrees f during a summer day although outside air temperatures are only 95 to 97 degrees f.

Ideal attic temperature and humidity settings cold outdoor temperatures affect attics. Hang pencil and paper next to the thermometer and record the outdoor and attic temperatures. Most manufacturers and contractors recommend a temperature setting between 100 and 110 degrees fahrenheit. Cold outdoor temperatures especially below freezing can wear on your furnace.

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. Hot summer weather poses the opposite problem for maintaining recommended attic temperatures. While these powered vents do effectively draw out the. 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. A standard powered exhaust vent turns on when the temperature inside the attic reaches a pre set limit and runs until the temperature drops.