Attic Ventilation Fans

Attic ventilation fans drastically improve life inside your home. Their purpose is to expel the hot air that builds up in your attic. In exchange, this lowers the demand and stress on your cooling system during the hottest months of the year. Learn how you can purchase the best product for your home. And, learn some about installing fans on a roof or between gables.

If you have always tolerated the problem, but never dealt with it, it can definitely get out of control once you start moving the attic from ancillary or even unused space into a main stay such as an attic bedroom. If you leave the situation as is, without proper ventilation, it will make it feel as if it is never cool, no matter how low you turn the thermostat that runs the cooling system in your home.

The roof has soffit vents and a pitch vent that help the cooling process. In many cases this is just not sufficient venting of hot air. When that is the case, it is time to invest in attic ventilation fans. To maximize use of your ventilation fans and your soffit vents, make sure to clear any debris from the soffit vents.

Shopping the Market

There is no shortage of attic ventilation fans on the market. They can cost anywhere from $50 to more than a few hundred dollars apiece. Rather than focus solely on price, look at the function and customer reviews of a product. Make sure that you buy the right size and sufficient number of attic ventilation fans for your home. Manufacturers will tell you how many ventilation fans, and what size will be needed for your space.

Look for the following ratings of the footage of area that will be cooled given a particular airflow rating by the product specifications. If you have up to 1200 square feet you will need 850 cfms. If you have up to 1600 square feet, look for 1050 cfms. If you have up to 1800 square feet, you will need 1250 cfms. And, if you have to cool up to 2300 square feet, you will look for 1550cfms.

Seek Specific Features

Look at the other features that are available. One important one can include an auto-shut-off at 180 degrees Fahrenheit. This is to prevent the machine's operation during a fire. If the house catches fire, it will obviously get warm upstairs as well, and the machine will kick-on. Instead, you will not want it kicking on, but instead turning off. It is theorized that the fans will make the fire spread more.

Consider noise level of the attic ventilation fans cause while cooling the space. In general, make sure that you buy a waterproof and high quality product. Make sure it is powerful enough for your home. Likewise, make sure you do not purchase too large of a product for your home either.

Installation Tips

You may either install your attic ventilation fans on your roof or in your gables. If you are remodeling the attic, then you probably will want the gable space for windows. The roof provides a great spot to install your attic ventilation fans.

For rooftop installation, measure halfway between the rafters inside your home. Hammer a nail in the plywood, through the roof. Cut the roof shingles according to the manufacturer's specific specifications. Most attic ventilation fan manufacturers include a template to guide you. Then remove the roofing nails, and measure and cut the hole into the sheeting. Apply roof caulking before placing the ventilation flashing into the sheeting.

For gable installation, first remove the vent. Holding the shutter in place, trace around it with a pencil. If you have lap siding, cut the siding to accommodate the new attic ventilation fans. Install 1 x 3 or 1 x 4 boards to allow you to secure the vent. If there is blocking below, remove it and set it aside. Now cut along the outline you made. Place the shutter in place, and caulk it. Replace the blocking.

Cut out the wood, according the the manufacturer's instructions. Mount the machine to the wood, and nail the piece to the gable. Check with local codes, and an electrician to complete the wiring of the device. Ensure that the local circuit can handle the extra amps that the attic ventilation will put through it. It is best to hire an electrician to help ensure that your attic fans are installed according to local codes.

Attic ventilation fans take a little bit of planning and research prior to installing. The project is particularly rewarding because you will be able to enjoy your fans within hours of starting your project. Installing such devices will make your home more comfortable, while lowering your cooling bills.