❄️ Cooling & Air
How Much Does a Whole-House Fan Cost to Run?
At the current U.S. average rate of 18.3¢/kWh (July 2026), a whole-house fan costs about $8.90 per month at typical usage — 4 hours/day.
Per hour
7.3¢
at 200–700 W
Per day
$0.29
4 hours/day
Per month
$8.90
49 kWh
Per year
$107
584 kWh
A whole-house fan flushes hot indoor air out through the attic on cool evenings, drawing a few hundred watts instead of a few thousand. In dry climates with cool nights it can replace hours of AC runtime a day.
Calculate it for your home
Per hour
7.3¢
Per day
$0.29
Per month
$8.90
Per year
$107
Uses 49 kWh/month at 18.3¢ per kWh.
Cheapest and most expensive states
Monthly cost at typical usage, using each state's current average residential rate.
Cost in every state
| State | Rate (¢/kWh) | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 12.7 | 5.1¢ | $6.18 | $74.17 |
| Nevada | 12.8 | 5.1¢ | $6.23 | $74.75 |
| Utah | 13.1 | 5.2¢ | $6.37 | $76.50 |
| North Dakota | 13.4 | 5.4¢ | $6.52 | $78.26 |
| Idaho | 13.7 | 5.5¢ | $6.66 | $80.01 |
| Tennessee | 13.7 | 5.5¢ | $6.66 | $80.01 |
| Kentucky | 13.8 | 5.5¢ | $6.71 | $80.59 |
| Nebraska | 13.8 | 5.5¢ | $6.71 | $80.59 |
| Arkansas | 14.3 | 5.7¢ | $6.96 | $83.51 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4 | 5.8¢ | $7.00 | $84.10 |
| Wyoming | 14.4 | 5.8¢ | $7.00 | $84.10 |
| Mississippi | 14.5 | 5.8¢ | $7.05 | $84.68 |
| Washington | 14.7 | 5.9¢ | $7.15 | $85.85 |
| Florida | 15.0 | 6.0¢ | $7.30 | $87.60 |
| Montana | 15.0 | 6.0¢ | $7.30 | $87.60 |
| North Carolina | 15.2 | 6.1¢ | $7.39 | $88.77 |
| Kansas | 15.3 | 6.1¢ | $7.44 | $89.35 |
| Arizona | 15.4 | 6.2¢ | $7.49 | $89.94 |
| South Dakota | 15.4 | 6.2¢ | $7.49 | $89.94 |
| South Carolina | 15.5 | 6.2¢ | $7.54 | $90.52 |
| West Virginia | 15.8 | 6.3¢ | $7.69 | $92.27 |
| Texas | 15.9 | 6.4¢ | $7.73 | $92.86 |
| Iowa | 16.0 | 6.4¢ | $7.78 | $93.44 |
| Oregon | 16.0 | 6.4¢ | $7.78 | $93.44 |
| Missouri | 16.1 | 6.4¢ | $7.83 | $94.02 |
| New Mexico | 16.1 | 6.4¢ | $7.83 | $94.02 |
| Georgia | 16.3 | 6.5¢ | $7.93 | $95.19 |
| Alabama | 16.4 | 6.6¢ | $7.98 | $95.78 |
| Indiana | 16.7 | 6.7¢ | $8.12 | $97.53 |
| Colorado | 17.0 | 6.8¢ | $8.27 | $99.28 |
| Minnesota | 17.5 | 7.0¢ | $8.51 | $102 |
| Virginia | 17.6 | 7.0¢ | $8.56 | $103 |
| Delaware | 18.5 | 7.4¢ | $9.00 | $108 |
| Wisconsin | 19.1 | 7.6¢ | $9.29 | $112 |
| Illinois | 19.2 | 7.7¢ | $9.34 | $112 |
| Ohio | 19.5 | 7.8¢ | $9.48 | $114 |
| Maryland | 21.4 | 8.6¢ | $10.41 | $125 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.7 | 8.7¢ | $10.55 | $127 |
| Michigan | 23.1 | 9.2¢ | $11.24 | $135 |
| Vermont | 23.8 | $0.10 | $11.58 | $139 |
| Connecticut | 24.2 | $0.10 | $11.77 | $141 |
| Washington, D.C. | 25.2 | $0.10 | $12.26 | $147 |
| New Jersey | 25.2 | $0.10 | $12.26 | $147 |
| New Hampshire | 26.6 | $0.11 | $12.94 | $155 |
| Rhode Island | 28.3 | $0.11 | $13.77 | $165 |
| Alaska | 28.8 | $0.12 | $14.01 | $168 |
| New York | 29.9 | $0.12 | $14.54 | $175 |
| Massachusetts | 30.5 | $0.12 | $14.84 | $178 |
| Maine | 32.4 | $0.13 | $15.76 | $189 |
| California | 33.6 | $0.13 | $16.34 | $196 |
| Hawaii | 48.0 | $0.19 | $23.35 | $280 |
How to lower the cost
- Raise the setpoint and add air movement — a fan makes a room feel several degrees cooler for pennies.
- Clean filters and outdoor coils each season; restricted airflow raises wattage for the same cooling.
- Close blinds on sun-facing windows during the day — blocked solar gain is cooling you don’t pay for.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a whole-house fan use?
A typical whole-house fan draws about 400 watts in use. At 4 hours/day, that works out to roughly 1.6 kWh per day, or 49 kWh per month.
How much does it cost to run a whole-house fan for 1 hour?
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.3¢/kWh, one hour costs about 7.3¢. In Louisiana (12.7¢/kWh) it's 5.1¢, while in Hawaii (48¢/kWh) it's $0.19.
How much does a whole-house fan cost to run per month?
With typical usage (4 hours/day), expect about $8.90 per month at the U.S. average rate — from $6.18 in Louisiana up to $23.35 in Hawaii. Rates are as of July 2026.
Does a whole-house fan use a lot of electricity?
It's a moderate load: roughly 5% of an average U.S. home's monthly consumption at typical usage. Noticeable, but not a bill-driver on its own.