Normally heating and/or air conditioning costs increase yearly as the cost-of-living increases, but what happens when a homeowner discovers electrical costs spiking far above previous months or years. Problems with these systems are common and the remedies can be extremely expensive, sometimes even requiring replacement with a new system.

Exhaust venting is one area which is most often overlooked as the problem. More specifically exhaust fans, like those used in bathrooms to remove moisture and humidity from hot showers or foul odors, and other large areas or rooms such as storage or a laundry room. Conducting a home inspection to locate the actual problem(s) is the first step. This is critical for large homes, especially ones with children and working parents,

Exhaust fans operate by using a wall switch to turn it on and off, like the overhead lights. Rabbit’s inspection form contains questions to determine how often and how long these fans are used. Fans may also be inspected to determine the age and condition. Most commonly it is determined that fans have been left running for long periods of time, even throughout the entire day or night inadvertently.

Excessive use of exhaust fans creates a wide variety of associated problems.

• Possible fire hazards
• Failing fans requiring replacement
• Lint or dangerous buildup in the vent ducts
• Overly expensive electric bills

When the temperature outside reaches 30-40 degrees, your heating system will run more often and for longer periods of time. Heating and cooling systems represent approximately 45-50% of a home’s total electrical costs.  Exhaust fans left on for periods longer than the recommended 15-20 minutes vent heat directly outside. In essence, heating the outdoors. The costs for a single fan can be staggering and if there are several fans operating for long periods, it is easy to understand the financial losses.

Fortunately, there is a simple solution that does not require expensive replacement for fans, heating, or cooling systems. Rabbit Handyman can upgrade the fan’s wall switch to a simple timer switch. These are easily programmed to run the fan from 5-30 minutes then automatically shut off. There is no longer a need to worry about fans being left on for extended periods of time. One simple call is all that is needed. Rabbit Handyman will inspect your home to determine if a switch will indeed solve your spiking electrical costs.