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wrote:
I would like to purchase a window fan for one of two windows (24" x 24"
or 35" w x 21" h) but have been surprised by the poor quality of fans I
see in stores. Can anyone recommend a model with perhaps three speeds
and of build that will last more than a few years?

We will use the fan to help cool a small 1100 sq ft house off in the
summer after the sun has gone down (we are in southern California).

I bought a window fan and found it didn't fit my window very well
and was cheaply made (all plastic), so I returned it. In its place,
I ended up buying a cheap box fan. It has a metal frame and plastic
blades, and it seems well-made enough. Plus it was way cheaper than
the window fan -- something like $15 or even $10 whereas the window
fan was closer to $30.

So now, I just put the box fan in the window along with a piece
of plywood that is there to prevent air from flowing right back
the opposite direction around the fan. The window I use the fan
in is one where the sash moves up and down. It's tall enough that
I can put the fan almost against the screen, then lower the sash
on top of the fan snugly to hold it in place. That covers all
the excess vertical space.

For the horizontal, I cut a piece of spare 1/4" plywood so that it
and the fan together are just as wide as the window opening and it
(the plywood) is just a little taller than the fan. That allows me
to put the plywood next to the fan and drop the bottom of the plywood
into the slot that the sash would fit in if it were closed, anchoring
it on the bottom, and since it's slightly taller than the fan, the
top side is held in place between bottom of the sash and the screen.
And because the fan is going, there's pretty much constant air pressure
on the plywood, which keeps it from rattling around.

All in all, cost me about $15 and works just as well as the window fan
did. And it's actually easier to install in the window than the window
fan was!

- Logan