Attic Fan for Summer

[retrofive]

Quick background. This is my first home. Built in '79. Overall good condition with nothing really wrong with other than some poor taste.

We have attice exhaust fan which I find to really help during the warmer summers. Summer here gets 90-110*.

The issue whoever installed this just has it on a plug, so you have to go plug it in to operate and remember to unplug.

So school me on the best way to do something with it.

1) Connect to my thermostat (I replaced the old school one with a newer nicer digital honerywell) and there is spare wires I belive could be used for this function. *** Is this advisable? ***

2) Put on a outlet timer.

3) Light switch.

4) Any recommendation

Thanks!

And yes we have central A/C / Heater.

 

[haystax]

Where is the plug located? Do you have to crawl in and out of the attic to lug it in?

Adding a switch would be very easy to do. The easiest way is to come off of the existing "hot" wire and use a single strand of romex to go to a new switch and box in a convenient location. Tape the neutral white wire black at both ends and use it as the hot to the fan. Either hard wired or on it's own receptacle. Original neutral and ground are tied to fan neutral and ground.

A t-stat would have to be a line-voltage type and work along the same lines as above. Just wire to the t-stat instead of a wall switch.

 

[Koffer]

Id put a switch in it plus this AIR VENT THERMOSTAT Single speed 58033 AIR VENT, INC.
like Haystax says ,that way its both automatic if you leave the switch on or you can shut it off with the switch

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Id put a switch in it plus this AIR VENT THERMOSTAT Single speed 58033 AIR VENT, INC.
like Haystax says ,that way its both automatic if you leave the switch on or you can shut it off with the switch

I would wire it with that thermostat (or similar), plug it in and forget about it.

 

[retrofive]

Thanks guys.

 

[bigndn]

We have attice exhaust fan which I find to really help during the warmer summers. Summer here gets 90-110*.
.

So the attic fan helps with the cooling down in the evening? If that's the case, I may have to install one.

 

[Brentbba]

So the attic fan helps with the cooling down in the evening? If that's the case, I may have to install one.

Attic vent fans I installed years ago in a former house had t-stats built into them. When the attic got hot - they turned on. etc.

 

[retrofive]

the plug is dangling out of the crawl space and outlet nearby to answer the first question.

The fan is pretty simple, no t-stat or anything. Like Koffer found that seems like a pretty easy solution.

I find it helps to blow the hot stagnant air out of the attic, especially when running the A/C.

 

[Johnnymiz]

attic fans keep your attic closer to the ambient temp outside during the day rather than the 20-80 degrees above that it would be without it by drawing air into vents in the attic and out through the fan. you ought to wire it with a thermostat so it goes on automatically at like 95 degrees. either buy a t-stat and wire it up to the existing fan, of go out and buy a new one with the t-stat already built in and put it where the existing one is. it will make your house much easier to keep cool....especially if it goes on when you're not around

the fan that cools your house in the evening is whats called a whole house fan. it's a much bigger fan (mine has a 36 inch blade) and it draws cool air into the house and then up into the attic and out. i don't use a/c...just the whole house fan.

 

[retrofive]

Good call.

Ah the power of google LOL
http://www.atticfans.com/

I still come to 'mud for my info though

 

[retrofive]

Hmm.. the fans range in price quite a bit, but close to just adding a t-stat. Might just replace the whole thing...


http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...Name=All&psid=NEXTAG01&sid=IDx20070921x00003j

 

[Johnnymiz]

that's what i found..... a new fan doesnt cost much more and it's a whole lot easier to install.

 

[bigndn]

I found this model at Lowes. Any input? I already have gable vents, so it seems like the easiest way to go. I think I'd just build a shroud around it with OSB to make it function better.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_30425-228-5...-1&storeId=10151&storeId=10151&Ntk=i_products

 

[Koffer]

what ever you get just mount it so it dosnt rattle the whole house too,
The one in my house sounds and feels like theres a sky hook hovering right above the house

Its on the list of "things to do"

 

[bigndn]

what ever you get just mount it so it dosnt rattle the whole house too,
The one in my house sounds and feels like theres a sky hook hovering right above the house

Its on the list of "things to do"

So would it be good to mount it thru some urethane donuts (or something similar) to help absorb any vibrations?

 

[Johnnymiz]

that's perfect. yes, build a shroud around the fan so that the air has to come in from the other end of the attic. that's what i did. nah, just make sure everything is tight and doesn't rattle. i mean, if it's easy, sure, but i think that would just complicate things. i just bolted mine up to the studs

 

[bigndn]

that's perfect. yes, build a shroud around the fan so that the air has to come in from the other end of the attic. that's what i did. nah, just make sure everything is tight and doesn't rattle. i mean, if it's easy, sure, but i think that would just complicate things. i just bolted mine up to the studs

Thanks for the information, guys!!!

 

[KLF]

I found this model at Lowes. Any input? I already have gable vents, so it seems like the easiest way to go. I think I'd just build a shroud around it with OSB to make it function better.

&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FnewSearch%3Dtrue%24Ntt%3Dgable+fan%24y%3D0%24x%3D0&Ntt=gable+fan&URL=TopCategoriesDisplayView&langId=-1&langId=-1&storeId=10151&storeId=10151&Ntk=i_products]Shop AIR VENT INC. 1620 CFM Gable Mounted Power Fan at Lowes.com

I just installed this EXACT fan in the attic of my garage, in the back gable end. It moves a LOT of air, and really does cool the attic down. I keep the thermostat set at about 100d, it is surprisingly accurate. I will say that even though I mounted it carefully so there is no rattles, the thing does make a lot of noise, I don't think I would want one right over my bedroom. I wired mine with a pair of switches so I can over-ride the automatic operation and force it either on or off, depending on what I need. I kept it on while running a welder a few weeks ago and it kept all the smoke and stink out of the house (attached garage).

The louver thingy they sell for it is a cheap piece-of-crap. The louvers don't seal all the way.

 

[bigndn]

I just installed this EXACT fan in the attic of my garage, in the back gable end. It moves a LOT of air, and really does cool the attic down. I keep the thermostat set at about 100d, it is surprisingly accurate. I will say that even though I mounted it carefully so there is no rattles, the thing does make a lot of noise, I don't think I would want one right over my bedroom. I wired mine with a pair of switches so I can over-ride the automatic operation and force it either on or off, depending on what I need. I kept it on while running a welder a few weeks ago and it kept all the smoke and stink out of the house (attached garage).

The louver thingy they sell for it is a cheap piece-of-crap. The louvers don't seal all the way.

Thanks for the review!!! Our bdrm is under one gable, the kitchen is under the other. I'm wondering which would be less bothersome. We don't get into our bdrm (for the most part) until 2130 or so. Long after the evening cooldown. OTOH, we'd have to hear it non-stop in the kitchen, I think. Ahhhhh, decisions, decisions.

 

[Johnnymiz]

it wont be that loud...more like an air conditioner in the room. i have a whole house fan over my bedroom. now, THAT is loud...but after the first night, i dont even notice it. just put it where it's easier to wire up