Here is one of my five attics:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3895/1...670115cf_b.jpg

Would an attic fan, of some sort, be feasible in this location?
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5582/1...59e28b99_b.jpg

The house has AC, and three floors, and it's insulated with the
loose stuff, at least anywhere where I can 'see' the rafters.

It's California. Northern. So, it's a pretty mild climate, but,
it's as hot as blazes in these attics, so, I was just wondering
if it's better to run the home heating system fans, or, put an
attic fan in to cool the house down, without running the A/C?

On Saturday, August 30, 2014 1:59:52 AM UTC-4, Danny D. wrote:
Here is one of my five attics:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3895/1...670115cf_b.jpg



Would an attic fan, of some sort, be feasible in this location?

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5582/1...59e28b99_b.jpg



The house has AC, and three floors, and it's insulated with the

loose stuff, at least anywhere where I can 'see' the rafters.



It's California. Northern. So, it's a pretty mild climate, but,

it's as hot as blazes in these attics, so, I was just wondering

if it's better to run the home heating system fans, or, put an

attic fan in to cool the house down, without running the A/C?

Are we talking about an attic fan or a whole house fan? Attic fan is
to cool just the attic. Whole house fan sits in the upstairs ceiling,
between the living space and attic and draws air into the house through
open windows, pushes it out via attic vents.

That tiny opening is too small for an attic fan. I'm not a big fan
of attic fans. I think most building science folks recommend ridge
vents and soffit vents as the best overall solution today. Ridge vent
is easy to install on most roofs, soffit vents can usually be added too.
If you want a power fan in that attic, easiest thing would be to either
put one in a similar gable vent on the other end of the attic, or
put in a roof mount one on the other end. That way air will come in
via the one in the pic, move through the attic, out the other end.


For a whole house fan, you need sufficient attic venting to carry the
volume of air. How well they work, how much you can use one vs AC depends
on the climate and your usage model.

I see them as most useful for situations like where you've been away
all day, the AC has been off, house is hot, it's night, cooler outside
now, you come home and want to cool it down. It also doesn't work well
in humid climates, but you're OK there.

Danny D. wrote:
Here is one of my five attics:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3895/1...670115cf_b.jpg

Would an attic fan, of some sort, be feasible in this location?
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5582/1...59e28b99_b.jpg

The house has AC, and three floors, and it's insulated with the
loose stuff, at least anywhere where I can 'see' the rafters.

It's California. Northern. So, it's a pretty mild climate, but,
it's as hot as blazes in these attics, so, I was just wondering
if it's better to run the home heating system fans, or, put an
attic fan in to cool the house down, without running the A/C?



You are going to receive differing opinions about the value of an attic
fan. Some maintain that the cost of running the attic fan is offset by
the cost savings of running an air conditioner less and therefore a
wash. They see it as useless to keep the attic cool if you spend the
same amount on electricity.

I live in a southern state where the outside temperature often reaches
100 degrees in the summer months. My furnaces are in the attic, and the
evaporator coils for the AC are of course inside those furnaces. If the
outside temperature reaches 100, you can imagine what the temperature in
the attic reaches. I have a gable roof like you do, with vents in the
eaves. I have two gable fans that are set to turn on at about 95
degrees so that when the AC is running the temperature around the
furnaces is as low as it can be. My theory is, that not doing so would
be like having the evaporator coils in an oven.

The bottom line is that although I do consume electricity to run the
fans, my electricity bill is much lower than my neighbors. I also have
programmable thermostats, so that also helps. I will finish with the
fact that I placed a thermometer in the attic once to see how high the
temperature would go without the fans on, and it exceeded 120 degrees.
That was as high as my thermometer would read.

Danny,

The 1st pic shows an attic with a window. The 2 nd pic looks like a
soffit vent. Is there any other ventilation?
A fan in that window might be good ventilation. Does rain normally blow
in that direction?
A good project for when the weather gets a little cooler.
You have 5 attics? You mean unconnected spaces? Sounds like 5 attic fans.

Dave M

On 08/30/2014 12:59 AM, Danny D. wrote:
Here is one of my five attics:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3895/1...670115cf_b.jpg

Would an attic fan, of some sort, be feasible in this location?
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5582/1...59e28b99_b.jpg

The house has AC, and three floors, and it's insulated with the
loose stuff, at least anywhere where I can 'see' the rafters.

It's California. Northern. So, it's a pretty mild climate, but,
it's as hot as blazes in these attics, so, I was just wondering
if it's better to run the home heating system fans, or, put an
attic fan in to cool the house down, without running the A/C?





It won't hurt to put in an attic fan but it will not do much to cool
down your house, on a hot day you will still need your AC.

I'd be more concerned with the support beams, they certainly do not look
at all right.

On Sat, 30 Aug 2014 05:59:52 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

Here is one of my five attics:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3895/1...670115cf_b.jpg

Would an attic fan, of some sort, be feasible in this location?
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5582/1...59e28b99_b.jpg

The house has AC, and three floors, and it's insulated with the
loose stuff, at least anywhere where I can 'see' the rafters.

It's California. Northern. So, it's a pretty mild climate, but,
it's as hot as blazes in these attics, so, I was just wondering
if it's better to run the home heating system fans, or, put an
attic fan in to cool the house down, without running the A/C?



Do you mean a Gable Ventilator Fan?

https://tinyurl.com/pz25d83

Or Attic & Whole House Fan

https://tinyurl.com/qcxll7j

Or a roof mounted Solar Attic Fan

http://www.bigfrogmountain.com/AtticFan.html

(G)

Danny D. wrote:
Here is one of my five attics:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3895/1...670115cf_b.jpg

Would an attic fan, of some sort, be feasible in this location?
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5582/1...59e28b99_b.jpg

The house has AC, and three floors, and it's insulated with the
loose stuff, at least anywhere where I can 'see' the rafters.

It's California. Northern. So, it's a pretty mild climate, but,
it's as hot as blazes in these attics, so, I was just wondering
if it's better to run the home heating system fans, or, put an
attic fan in to cool the house down, without running the A/C?



You are going to receive differing opinions about the value of an attic
fan. Some maintain that the cost of running the attic fan is offset by
the cost savings of running an air conditioner less and therefore a
wash. They see it as useless to keep the attic cool if you spend the
same amount on electricity.

I live in a southern state where the outside temperature often reaches
100 degrees in the summer months. My furnaces are in the attic, and the
evaporator coils for the AC are of course inside those furnaces. If the
outside temperature reaches 100, you can imagine what the temperature in
the attic reaches. I have a gable roof like you do, with vents in the
eaves. I have two gable fans that are set to turn on at about 95
degrees so that when the AC is running the temperature around the
furnaces is as low as it can be. My theory is, that not doing so would
be like having the evaporator coils in an oven.

The bottom line is that although I do consume electricity to run the
fans, my electricity bill is much lower than my neighbors. I also have
programmable thermostats, so that also helps. I will finish with the
fact that I placed a thermometer in the attic once to see how high the
temperature would go without the fans on, and it exceeded 120 degrees.
That was as high as my thermometer would read.

On 8/30/2014 1:59 AM, Danny D. wrote:
Here is one of my five attics:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3895/1...670115cf_b.jpg

Would an attic fan, of some sort, be feasible in this location?
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5582/1...59e28b99_b.jpg

The house has AC, and three floors, and it's insulated with the
loose stuff, at least anywhere where I can 'see' the rafters.

It's California. Northern. So, it's a pretty mild climate, but,
it's as hot as blazes in these attics, so, I was just wondering
if it's better to run the home heating system fans, or, put an
attic fan in to cool the house down, without running the A/C?

Trader's response is spot on. I use our whole house fan about 15 to 20
nights a year and AC the other more humid days. I do like it at other
times if I want to clear the air quickly from cooking or anything else.
You don't want to suck in 95 degree humid air if the house is 70
degrees from the night before. Use it wisely.

Danny D. wrote:
Here is one of my five attics:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3895/1...670115cf_b.jpg

Would an attic fan, of some sort, be feasible in this location?
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5582/1...59e28b99_b.jpg

The house has AC, and three floors, and it's insulated with the
loose stuff, at least anywhere where I can 'see' the rafters.

It's California. Northern. So, it's a pretty mild climate, but,
it's as hot as blazes in these attics, so, I was just wondering
if it's better to run the home heating system fans, or, put an
attic fan in to cool the house down, without running the A/C?

I'd put an attic fan in the gable vent in the first picture. A whole house fan,
if that's what you mean, would go in the attic floor to ventilate the whole
house.

What is that light at the end of the rafters in the second picture? Is that a
very open intake vent? Are they all like that?

On Sat, 30 Aug 2014 05:59:52 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

Here is one of my five attics:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3895/1...670115cf_b.jpg

Would an attic fan, of some sort, be feasible in this location?
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5582/1...59e28b99_b.jpg


No
Put the fan in the gable vent. Force a draft across the attic to
remove the accumulated heat brfore it can "soak" into the conditioned
space.
The house has AC, and three floors, and it's insulated with the
loose stuff, at least anywhere where I can 'see' the rafters.

It's California. Northern. So, it's a pretty mild climate, but,
it's as hot as blazes in these attics, so, I was just wondering
if it's better to run the home heating system fans, or, put an
attic fan in to cool the house down, without running the A/C?

On Sat, 30 Aug 2014 08:01:16 -0700, "Bob F"
wrote:


What is that light at the end of the rafters in the second picture? Is that a
very open intake vent? Are they all like that?

Soffit vent. Likely every other vent (or three or four) at the
rafters.

trader_4 wrote, on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 04:27:21 -0700:

Are we talking about an attic fan or a whole house fan?

I'm not sure. I have fans in the ceilings.
I think I'm talking about just cooling the attic, which, is admittedly
steaming hot most of the time. I was guessing cooling the attic would
also cool the house. No?

That tiny opening is too small for an attic fan.
OK. Good point. I've never seen an attic fan, so I don't know the size
of the opening.

I'm not a big fan of attic fans.

Pun intended?

I see them as most useful for situations like where you've been away
all day, the AC has been off, house is hot, it's night, cooler outside

It is often cooler at night here ...

David L. Martel wrote, on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 08:33:01 -0400:

The 1st pic shows an attic with a window. The 2 nd pic looks like a
soffit vent. Is there any other ventilation?

Both pictures were taken from essentially the same standing position in one
of my five attics. All the attics are essentially the same, just disconnected
from each other.

These "windows" are the only ventilation that I know of in the attics.

Oren wrote, on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 06:19:24 -0700:

Do you mean a Gable Ventilator Fan?
https://tinyurl.com/pz25d83
Or Attic & Whole House Fan
https://tinyurl.com/qcxll7j

I wasn't sure.
I do like the pictures because they give me an idea of what size
these fans look like, and how they're mounted. Thanks.

Or a roof mounted Solar Attic Fan
http://www.bigfrogmountain.com/AtticFan.html

Ooooh. Nice. Very nice. I have more sun than most people, being on a mountain
above the clouds, so, that's kind'a nice having the solar fan. Problem is the roof
itself is tile, so, I'd have to figure out how the panels go up there...

Ed Pawlowski wrote, on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 10:59:45 -0400:

You don't want to suck in 95 degree humid air if the house is 70
degrees from the night before.

This is a good point.
It's generally 10 degrees (or so) cooler at dawn and dusk than during
the day, but during the day, it's hotter outside than inside (summer).

Bob F wrote, on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 08:01:16 -0700:

A whole house fan, would go in the attic floor
Oh. I hadn't realized that until you just said it.
There are five attics, so, it would take five of them then. Yuck.


What is that light at the end of the rafters in the second picture?
Is that a very open intake vent? Are they all like that?

I had to look at the picture to see what you're talking about.
It was just the sun shining in given the contrast between the
dark attic and the light outside.

Yes. They all have a rectangular hole, with a screen on it.
And that's it. There is no glass window.

Oren wrote, on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 15:05:30 -0700:

Soffit vent. Likely every other vent (or three or four) at the
rafters.

Yes. I didn't know what a "soffit" was, offhand.

Googling, I see it's the "underside of an architectural
structure such as an arch, a balcony, or overhanging eaves.".

Those small rectangular "soffit vents" are all over the place
in each of the attics.

On Saturday, August 30, 2014 11:56:56 PM UTC-4, Danny D. wrote:
Bob F wrote, on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 08:01:16 -0700:



A whole house fan, would go in the attic floor

Oh. I hadn't realized that until you just said it.

There are five attics, so, it would take five of them then. Yuck.


It wouldn't take five whole house fans. The primary purpose of a whole
house fan is to cool the living space, not the attic. In fact, most of
them probably aren't even running during the hot portions of the day.
They typically get turned on at night, when it's cooler outside.

So, you could put one in, using one of the attics. That one attic would
need sufficient venting to handle the air. You'd typically install it
over an upstairs hallway so it can pull air from the whole house.

On Saturday, August 30, 2014 11:48:33 PM UTC-4, Danny D. wrote:
trader_4 wrote, on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 04:27:21 -0700:



Are we talking about an attic fan or a whole house fan?



I'm not sure. I have fans in the ceilings.

What kind of fans are these?




I think I'm talking about just cooling the attic, which, is admittedly

steaming hot most of the time. I was guessing cooling the attic would

also cool the house. No?


Lowering the attic temp will help. The question is how much you can
reasonable lower it via the possible methods and how much actual benefit
that will have in the living space. The attic is insulated and that is
the primary means of preventing heat transfer. I notice you have blown-in
insulation about equal to the joists. In some spots, it's a lot less.
Adding more insulation would probably have a bigger impact year round
than adding a fan.




That tiny opening is too small for an attic fan.

OK. Good point. I've never seen an attic fan, so I don't know the size

of the opening.


Powered attic fans come in two main types. One is a roof mounted
mushroom type. The other is a gable type. Those can be had with
their own entire gable vent, ie louvers that open, etc or you can
get just a fan that goes behind an existing gable vent. The
latter could go behind your gable and blow air outside. I have
one like that.

But as I said, I've come to believe that a ridge vent is the better
solution.

On Saturday, August 30, 2014 11:53:17 PM UTC-4, Danny D. wrote:
Oren wrote, on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 06:19:24 -0700:



Do you mean a Gable Ventilator Fan?

https://tinyurl.com/pz25d83

Or Attic & Whole House Fan

https://tinyurl.com/qcxll7j



I wasn't sure.

I do like the pictures because they give me an idea of what size

these fans look like, and how they're mounted. Thanks.



Or a roof mounted Solar Attic Fan

http://www.bigfrogmountain.com/AtticFan.html



Ooooh. Nice. Very nice. I have more sun than most people, being on a mountain

above the clouds, so, that's kind'a nice having the solar fan. Problem is the roof

itself is tile, so, I'd have to figure out how the panels go up there...

The solar panels take care of themselves. They are mounted on the top
of cover of the fan. It goes in just like any AC powered roof fan would.
What I'd be concerned about is the CFM of that fan versus the CFM of
similar AC fans, is it adequate, how long will it last versus AC fan,
costs, etc.

trader_4 wrote, on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 04:29:33 -0700:

I'm not sure. I have fans in the ceilings.

What kind of fans are these?

Your typical five bladed fans, about 5 or 6 feet in diameter, way up
high in the ceiling (about 20 feet up or so).

trader_4 wrote, on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 04:29:33 -0700:

Lowering the attic temp will help. The question is how much you can
reasonable lower it via the possible methods and how much actual benefit
that will have in the living space.

That's why I had asked. I'm just curious if it's a good idea or not,
given that it would be work to do it. Luckily, there is electricity
in the attics, as each have a light bulb at least.

The attic is insulated and that is
the primary means of preventing heat transfer. I notice you have blown-in
insulation about equal to the joists. In some spots, it's a lot less.
Adding more insulation would probably have a bigger impact year round
than adding a fan.

The blown in stuff is all that I see. There are boards on some of the
attics, but usually only in the center where we can store some stuff.

trader_4 wrote, on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 04:19:07 -0700:

So, you could put one in, using one of the attics. That one attic would
need sufficient venting to handle the air. You'd typically install it
over an upstairs hallway so it can pull air from the whole house.

Oh. OK. That would go into the attic that I provided the pictures of
since it's over some of the bedrooms.

Danny D. wrote:
Oren wrote, on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 06:19:24 -0700:

Do you mean a Gable Ventilator Fan?
https://tinyurl.com/pz25d83
Or Attic & Whole House Fan
https://tinyurl.com/qcxll7j

I wasn't sure.
I do like the pictures because they give me an idea of what size
these fans look like, and how they're mounted. Thanks.

Or a roof mounted Solar Attic Fan
http://www.bigfrogmountain.com/AtticFan.html

Ooooh. Nice. Very nice. I have more sun than most people, being on a
mountain above the clouds, so, that's kind'a nice having the solar
fan. Problem is the roof itself is tile, so, I'd have to figure out
how the panels go up there...

I seriously doubt that the tiny amount of power available from the tiny panel on
this fan can circulate very much air. Do some serious research before
considering such an option.

Danny D. wrote:
trader_4 wrote, on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 04:29:33 -0700:

Lowering the attic temp will help. The question is how much you can
reasonable lower it via the possible methods and how much actual
benefit that will have in the living space.

That's why I had asked. I'm just curious if it's a good idea or not,
given that it would be work to do it. Luckily, there is electricity
in the attics, as each have a light bulb at least.

The attic is insulated and that is
the primary means of preventing heat transfer.

For a whole house fan, you want to make sure that when the fan is not in use, it
seals and insulates the hole it lives in. If you have the fan off, and the A/C
on, you don't want air/heat transfer through the fan any more than through the
ceiling/insulation it replaced.

On Sunday, August 31, 2014 11:31:12 AM UTC-4, Bob F wrote:
Danny D. wrote:

trader_4 wrote, on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 04:29:33 -0700:



Lowering the attic temp will help. The question is how much you can

reasonable lower it via the possible methods and how much actual

benefit that will have in the living space.



That's why I had asked. I'm just curious if it's a good idea or not,

given that it would be work to do it. Luckily, there is electricity

in the attics, as each have a light bulb at least.



The attic is insulated and that is

the primary means of preventing heat transfer.



For a whole house fan, you want to make sure that when the fan is not in use, it

seals and insulates the hole it lives in. If you have the fan off, and the A/C

on, you don't want air/heat transfer through the fan any more than through the

ceiling/insulation it replaced.

That might be ideal and suitable for doing over the winter, but it's
not practical each time the fan is used/not used. You have to be realistic.
Some additional heat transfer in one 2 x 2 section isn't going to change
the overall AC load enough to go nuts over.

On Sun, 31 Aug 2014 13:28:57 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote in

Oh. OK. That would go into the attic that I provided the pictures of
since it's over some of the bedrooms.

How did that water problem work out? Did you folks ever come up with
a solution?
--
Web based forums are like subscribing to 10 different newspapers
and having to visit 10 different news stands to pickup each one.
Email list-server groups and USENET are like having all of those
newspapers delivered to your door every morning.

On Sun, 31 Aug 2014 03:58:35 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

Oren wrote, on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 15:05:30 -0700:

Soffit vent. Likely every other vent (or three or four) at the
rafters.

Yes. I didn't know what a "soffit" was, offhand.

Googling, I see it's the "underside of an architectural
structure such as an arch, a balcony, or overhanging eaves.".

Those small rectangular "soffit vents" are all over the place
in each of the attics.

You have soffit vents (2nd pic) and a gable vent (1st pic). Inside the
attic, look up and you may be able to tell is you have a ridge vent.
You ought to see a space between the roof decking sheets at the top of
the trusses.

Sample:

http://api.ning.com/files/JBLnOLNZ8TpsxF8c-wl7X9*VZcCDu5YhhQrjgY0TSJQz2upZN91QCudliXAtv4d7GBl epAtAx2CT4ayovUPxQoKIDwHtyhhy/ridgeventmildew.JPG

https://tinyurl.com/o78agnz

It vents like this as the hot air rises.

http://adamsonroofing.com/blog/wp-uploads/ridge-vents.jpg

CRNG wrote, on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 11:05:23 -0500:

How did that water problem work out?
Did you folks ever come up with a solution?

They drilled a new well, and started hitting water at 300 feet, but
kept going until the flow was 2.5 gallons per minute (I had originally
reported a higher flow, but the workers corrected that when I had
asked them a few weeks ago).

They stopped at 520 feet, but they had problems.

Here you see the well driller & what looks like white foam:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3913/1...0a11eb8f_b.jpg

Last I checked, the 520 foot well was producing gray water, which is
water that I saw myself (they wouldn't let me photograph it so that
picture is from across the neighbor's yard).

For two weeks, they had pumped the water out of that new 520 foot
well, but it was *still* as gray as paint! I saw it with my own eyes.

The guy showed me a white 5-gallon bucket with the water in it and
he said the gray is part of the water. It doesn't settle out.

There are silver mines in this area, so, the ground does have minerals,
but, I haven't checked lately to find out whether that new 520 foot
well finally cleared of the gray water.

But, it was amazing looking stuff. Nobody in their right mind would
drink it. Gray as paint.

Here's the well next door, which originally ran dry, but it seemed
to be pumping OK when I last checked a few weeks ago for them:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3876/1...4a418e67_b.jpg

You can't tell from the picture, and I didn't tell the neighbor because
she's a widow who has enough on her hands with the kids and the bank,
but, I did notice a bit of gray in the water (but nothing like the stuff
that was coming out of the new well at the next-door neighbor's house
only 50 feet away).

Yikes. Luckily, "my" well water, about 1,000 feet away from these two
wells, appears to be clear, and comes from about 400 feet (although
they are a good 200 feet below me on the hill in elevation).

On Sun, 31 Aug 2014 03:53:17 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

Oren wrote, on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 06:19:24 -0700:

Do you mean a Gable Ventilator Fan?
https://tinyurl.com/pz25d83
Or Attic & Whole House Fan
https://tinyurl.com/qcxll7j

I wasn't sure.
I do like the pictures because they give me an idea of what size
these fans look like, and how they're mounted. Thanks.


If it were me, I'd likely go with the gable vent fan.

- adjustable automatic thermostat
- thermally protected motor

Ordinarily, the whole house fan is mounted in a hallway ceiling. I
don't think that would be the best option.

Or a roof mounted Solar Attic Fan
http://www.bigfrogmountain.com/AtticFan.html

Ooooh. Nice. Very nice. I have more sun than most people, being on a mountain
above the clouds, so, that's kind'a nice having the solar fan. Problem is the roof
itself is tile, so, I'd have to figure out how the panels go up there...

Yep. These are most often installed during new construction, before
the roof tile is installed. I'd not open that can of worms trying to
a retrofit with a tile roof. Shingles, is even questionable... IMHO.

Oren wrote, on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 10:26:45 -0700:

Ordinarily, the whole house fan is mounted in a hallway ceiling. I
don't think that would be the best option.

There is one of these in most rooms...
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3896/1...e81f083e_c.jpg

Is that a 'whole house fan'?

Oren wrote, on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 09:10:02 -0700:

Inside the
attic, look up and you may be able to tell is you have a ridge vent.
You ought to see a space between the roof decking sheets at the top of
the trusses.

Here is what it looks like looking straight up in the same attic:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3836/1...8a760e66_c.jpg
I don't see *any* vents there.

Here's a closer view looking straight up in that same attic:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5556/1...c308874d_c.jpg

Am I missing that space between at the top of the trusses?
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5565/1...58619cbc_b.jpg

David L. Martel wrote, on Sat, 30 Aug 2014 08:33:01 -0400:

The 1st pic shows an attic with a window. The 2 nd pic looks like a
soffit vent. Is there any other ventilation?

I think the only ventilation is what these little openings provide.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5574/1...ef7ef803_b.jpg

A fan in that window might be good ventilation. Does rain normally blow
in that direction?

Rain blows sideways in the winter, so, yeah, it could come in that way.

You have 5 attics? You mean unconnected spaces? Sounds like 5 attic fans.

Yea, there are ten gabled roofs, so, there are five attics under them.
None are connected.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3836/1...8a760e66_c.jpg

On Sun, 31 Aug 2014 19:04:34 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

Oren wrote, on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 10:26:45 -0700:

Ordinarily, the whole house fan is mounted in a hallway ceiling. I
don't think that would be the best option.

There is one of these in most rooms...
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3896/1...e81f083e_c.jpg

Is that a 'whole house fan'?

Chuckle. No that is a ceiling fan

On Sun, 31 Aug 2014 19:07:05 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

Oren wrote, on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 09:10:02 -0700:

Inside the
attic, look up and you may be able to tell is you have a ridge vent.
You ought to see a space between the roof decking sheets at the top of
the trusses.

Here is what it looks like looking straight up in the same attic:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3836/1...8a760e66_c.jpg
I don't see *any* vents there.

Here's a closer view looking straight up in that same attic:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5556/1...c308874d_c.jpg

Am I missing that space between at the top of the trusses?
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5565/1...58619cbc_b.jpg

Looks like you have no ridge vent. To install one, it would require
tile to be removed from the roof, decking cut and a ridge vent
installed.

Looks like a gable vent fan is your best choice - at the gable vent.

You have power at the light to run it.

Oren wrote, on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 12:20:04 -0700:

Chuckle. No that is a ceiling fan

Oh. OK. From the description, it was in the tallest part of the house
but it doesn't go outside. Almost every room has one of these ceiling
fans, but then the only whole house fan are those in the three heater
systems.

On Sun, 31 Aug 2014 19:10:09 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

I think the only ventilation is what these little openings provide.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5574/1...ef7ef803_b.jpg

That looks like a bathroom ventilation fan to extract moisture from
the bathroom. It's mounted in the ceiling in the bathroom? Going out a
soffit vent...

On Sun, 31 Aug 2014 19:29:11 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

Oren wrote, on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 12:20:04 -0700:

Chuckle. No that is a ceiling fan

Oh. OK. From the description, it was in the tallest part of the house
but it doesn't go outside. Almost every room has one of these ceiling
fans, but then the only whole house fan are those in the three heater
systems.

Have a look:

_How to Install a Whole House Fan and How They Work. _

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-CCKyQZVLc

My advice it to install a gable vent fan - for the attic, to extract
hot air. Adjustable T-stat and thermally protected motor.

On Sunday, August 31, 2014 3:33:23 PM UTC-4, Oren wrote:
On Sun, 31 Aug 2014 19:10:09 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."

wrote:



I think the only ventilation is what these little openings provide.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5574/1...ef7ef803_b.jpg



That looks like a bathroom ventilation fan to extract moisture from

the bathroom. It's mounted in the ceiling in the bathroom? Going out a

soffit vent...

Yeah, that isn't supposed to be, but I've seen it before. Proably not the
worst thing, but I think it's a code violation. Also, maybe it's just the
perspective, but don't those rafters seems kind of far apart? And he
did say it's a tile roof.

On Sunday, August 31, 2014 3:07:05 PM UTC-4, Danny D. wrote:
Oren wrote, on Sun, 31 Aug 2014 09:10:02 -0700:



Inside the

attic, look up and you may be able to tell is you have a ridge vent.

You ought to see a space between the roof decking sheets at the top of

the trusses.



Here is what it looks like looking straight up in the same attic:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3836/1...8a760e66_c.jpg

I don't see *any* vents there.



Here's a closer view looking straight up in that same attic:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5556/1...c308874d_c.jpg



Am I missing that space between at the top of the trusses?

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5565/1...58619cbc_b.jpg

You only have about a 2" gap if you have a ridge vent. You don't
have a ridge vent. You have a tile roof, IDK if you can do a ridge
vent on a tile roof. I've only seen them on shingle roofs.

There's only a vent in one gable? Nothing in the other ends?
Depending on how it would look, what those other sides face, you
could put another gable vent in. That would double the exit venting.
And also help even more, maybe, depending on the prevailing winds.