Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - attic fan installation

I would like to know the following with regard to attic fan installations:

-what are the steps required, tools needed, time to complete, material needed and cost of installing an electric attic fan (one that is visible on the outside of the house on the roof).

-what are the steps required, tools needed, time to complete, material needed and cost of installing an solar powered attic fan (one that is visible on the outside of the house on the roof).

-any suggestions on how to work this project if I can only dedicate time on the weekends (since I work 40 hours or more during the week)?

-any websites or links I should look into?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. I really appreciate any help provided! :)

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The term "attic fan" is somewhat ambiguous. It could refer to a fan that mounts in the roof the blows attic air outside. But I'm going to assume you mean a "whole house fan" that blows air from inside the house into the attic. But the procedure is similar for both.

When I did this same project two years ago, I broke it down into three phases. I spent one weekend on each phase. Increasing attic ventilation. Based on the CFM of the fan and the number of vents you have now, you will most likely need to add vents. You can add additional roof vents, a ridge vent, or additional eave vents. Just get the number of square inches up to what the fan manufacturer says. Do the framing. Cut the hole in the ceiling drywall, cut out one of the truss members, frame the opening, and mount the fan as described in the instructions. Provide the electrical. I would recommend you add a new circuit. So install a breaker and run a cable from the panel to the attic. I would recommend you install a light to see by, and a master cutoff switch. Then you'll need to mount the fan speed control on the wall and run a cable down to it. You also might want a mechanical timer switch in series with the speed control, so mount that too. Then connect it all up.

Mr. Nelson,

Sorry I was not clear with my term "Attic fan". I do not mean a "whole house fan". I am referring to a fan that is mounted on the roof and vents the attic or roof air out. Also, my house has what are referred to as gable vents. Does your answer change with respect to the above.

Thanks for your response to my question. :)

So how do you intend to control the attic fan? Thermostat? Wall switch? Timer? Some combination of all of them?

And what is your intent? Do you live in Phoenix and are trying to reduce attic temperatures in the summer?

I'm not a big fan of attic fans.

Mr. Nelson,

I thought these roof-style mounted fans come with a setting for temperature to turn them on. Is that not correct? Also, I do not live in Arizona, but it does get hot in New Jersey during the summer. This fan should help me reduce the heat in the roof area and thus my cooling costs in the summer.

I hope you do not believe this fan is one that looks like a rotary fan and is mounted in a window with a temp switch. This is not the case. The one I speak of looks sort of like a mushroom and mounts on the outside of the roof but functions to cool off the air in the roof and the upper part of the home.

I hope this gives you a better idea of what I'm using the fan for.

Again, thank you for your continued help! :)

In an effort to get everyone on the same page, I have included a site with pictures of typical attic vents. Please let us know which type you want to install. I noticed one power vent that looked like a short mushroom and a Static wind turbine that looks like a large mushroom. The turbine is wind powered so no electrical is needed. I have 5 of these on my roof and they do a good job in removing hot air. Good luck.
(reason for 5 is that my attic is sectioned off and prevents full airflow throughout the attic.)

http://www.airvent.com/homeowner/products/atticExhaust.shtml

Super moderator, thanks for the link on the attic vents types. After looking at the link, I believe my home already what looks like the Shingle vent system. Currently, I don't have any power attic vents at all.

As to what I am looking to install would either be the Electrical Attic Air Power attic vent (only with thermostat no humidistat) or the solar powered roof mounted attic vent.

More info:
-I am not afraid to tackle the project but have a few concerns:
-I don't have a roof-cutter tool
-I am a bit afraid of cutting the hole to large and having a bigger problem.
-I have not installed electrical wiring and a breaker before (I will need this if I am going the electric way)
-concerned about not sealing the power attic vent properly and getting leaks
-not sure about area below roof (where I will need to climb into) since it was told to me it is not load-bearing
-time committment can only be weekend; fear is that I may not get it done during that free time
-I like the idea of the solar attic vent but never attempted install of any kind of solar equipment
-another problem is that I don't have a latter to reach my roof but I assume I can rent one at local rental establishment

Sorry for my rambling. Am I overthinking this too much? Is it really easier than I believe?
Feel free to comment! :)

As I stated before I like the solar powered attic vent. I am curious how one knows that the unit is running since I heard these are "whisper" quiet?

Also, how does the homeowner know the unit has become defective (especially since you cannot hear the operation)? Is there some sort of control panel in the house to tell the user it is on, off or needs to be repaired?

sorry, I know I ask many questions, but the Engineer in me needs to know.

Thanks in advance for any help with my questions or any tips!
:thumbup:

My advise is to choose a unit that appeals to you, and before you buy it, read the installation instructions carefully--twice. Then you'll get a good feeling as to whether you're up to the job based on your current skill set.

Cutting a hole in the roof is scary, but not too big of a deal. If you have an asphalt shingled roof with a reasonable pitch to it, the chances of a leak are not great if you work carefully. This is especially true if you install the unit high up on your roof and well away from any valleys. Any saw will work as a "roof-cutter tool". I'd probably use a saber saw. Make sure you have some roofing tar to seal everything back up. Also, make sure you know exactly where the framing members are before you cut. One easy way to do this is to drill a hole up through the roof from below, directly in the middle between two framing members. Use this as the center of the hole you cut. If you cut carefully, there should be no risk of making the hole too large.

If you decide to use an electrically powered fan, and if you haven't done much electrical work, you may wish to have a professional run the circuit for you.

Start early in the day, on a weekend with no predicted rain, to help ensure that you'll get everything sealed back up again. Have a tarp handy just in case something goes wrong.

Wear shoes with a good grip, especially if your roof is pitched very steeply. Don't go up if the roof is wet, and don't step on any shingles that look like they may not be securely attached.

I recently added an attic fan to my house. After I made sure that I had enought venting for incoming air I mounted the fan in a home made plenum box made to fit the attic window. The window was slightly larger than the fan diameter. It turns on/off with a thermostat mounted in the attic. You can hear it when it's running, but only if you really listen. It does make a difference in keeping the heat from building up in the attic. In the winter I remove the 6 screws holding the whole contraption to the window and close the window. Also, turn the breaker off at this time.
The main reason I mounted it to the window is because I had the roof put on a couple of months before and didn't like the idea of cutting a hole in the $9500.00 roof.

Many of the responses gave good information. I needed more of a how to and I believe I found it in a more visual website. The website shows a person installing a solar fan on the roof. May be useful to the do-it-yourself crowd and it gave me some good insight in what tools were needed and the steps to perform. Here is the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joelitton/sets/1310772/

Hope you all find this useful.

comments? feel free to keep sending them.

Thanks!

Be leery of following any generic installation instructions. They may not be suitable. Just follow the installation instructions that come with the fan. If they aren't clear, then buy a different fan with clearer instructions.