I have R-13 insulation with blown-in insulation on top. Also, my attic is vented through my Soffit with two roof vents. If I install a whole house fan will I have problems with the lose insulation, or problems with not having enough vent for the fan. I hear one-reason whole house fans are so loud is because they work twice as hard because most attics can't support that much air flow.
2007-06-10 16:00:02 · 7 answers · asked by Dad 2B 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
I have the same insulation - and my fan has not affected it one bit.
My fan isn't very loud at all, at least not any more. Replacing a bad belt and oiling up the bearings worked wonders. And I wouldn't worry so much about the attic side - but be sure you have enough windows cracked in your house to allow your fan to properly draw.
My fan was a godsend the Kansas July I spent with a 1 year old and no a/c! I ran the fan through the night and shut it down during the day. With the insulation we'd installed in the walls and attic the previous year - our house stayed "livable" during that hot month!
Good luck and enjoy your new fan!
2007-06-10 21:28:37 · answer #1 · answered by just_Fia 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you install an air outlet vent at the gables, you will not have a problem with the insulation blowing around or with fan noise. The air flow will have the volume you need to ventilate the house but a larger opening will reduce the velocity so it doesn't pick up the loose stuff.
2007-06-10 16:16:21 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
whole house fan if you want complete air exchange inside the house. I would recommend just a powered attic fan. If you only have two roof top vents the powered fan should make a huge diff.
2007-06-10 16:22:31 · answer #3 · answered by sam hill 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Notwithstanding all of the other information, the answer to your question is, "yes." Vents are not necessary unless you have air you need to remove from, or introduce into, the house. If you just want a "little cooler feel" of the air in your house on a great day, air movement will produce that feel. While a "whole house fan" does exist as the blower of your central HVAC system, and you can run the fan with the AC unit off, it will probably not move enough air for you to "feel" it. They are designed, if properly installed, so you cannot feel the air movement. What you probably need, is the old fashioned oscillating fans in each room you want to "feel" the cool, or ceiling fans. Moving the air will make you feel cooler on great days without turning on the AC, until it gets too hot, then you have to close the windows and turn on the AC - the extra air movement from the fans will allow you to feel cooler than the thermostat setting on the AC, so they are still a good idea with the AC on, and will save you money on the electric bill.
2016-05-17 05:42:13 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I bought my house I had almost the same situation, except I did have an electrical roof fan also. I replaced the roof myself but contractors advised me to add five roof vents because of the fan. I did, but the fan is still loud-it does cool the house well when it's not too hot.
2007-06-10 16:12:38 · answer #5 · answered by barbara 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I`ve never known of the insulation being sucked out through the attic vent, but to be sure, you could tack down plastic sheeting over your insulation. More vents can always be added in soffits or gables, but be careful to keep the damper closed in your fireplace (if you have one). My ex-in-laws had one in their house & it worked extremely well. good luck with it.
2007-06-10 16:09:35 · answer #6 · answered by ropar 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Call Graingers (numbers available online), an industrial supply company but they are experts in all sizes of fans.
I have installed dozens of huge exhaust fans to cool hot factories (like 15,000 to 25,000 CFM; many times bigger than for a house).
2007-06-10 21:09:35 · answer #7 · answered by Bill 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋