We were thinking of adding a whole house fan to our two story house.

is this something that is normally DIY? Assuming I can run the power
myself.

Is there a typical installation location? Can this be installed in the
attic access hole? Assuming I will only need access to work on things
in the attic - not to store stuff.

Anyone have one and think it is a waste?

The dude wrote:

We were thinking of adding a whole house fan to our two story house.

is this something that is normally DIY? Assuming I can run the power
myself.

I think it would be a pretty big job, but doable if you're well skilled.

Is there a typical installation location? Can this be installed in the
attic access hole? Assuming I will only need access to work on things
in the attic - not to store stuff.


I doubt you should put it in the access hole. They (at least the one
we have) need a sturdy mount, which would mean no more access hole.

Anyone have one and think it is a waste?

FWIW, we have one and don't use it much. The problem is that around
here (Austin, Texas), it's generally either too hot or too cold for it
to be useful. We seem to get very little temperate weather. Plus,
on the cool days, the humidity is often quite high, and so is the
pollen/mold/allergen count.

I'm much more excited about our attic exhaust fan, which seems to make
a big difference in the ability of our A/C to get the job done efficiently.

YMMV.

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The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
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CJT wrote:
The dude wrote:

We were thinking of adding a whole house fan to our two story house.

is this something that is normally DIY? Assuming I can run the power
myself.

I think it would be a pretty big job, but doable if you're well skilled.

Is there a typical installation location? Can this be installed in
the attic access hole? Assuming I will only need access to work on
things in the attic - not to store stuff.


I doubt you should put it in the access hole. They (at least the one
we have) need a sturdy mount, which would mean no more access hole.

Anyone have one and think it is a waste?

FWIW, we have one and don't use it much. The problem is that around
here (Austin, Texas), it's generally either too hot or too cold for it
to be useful. We seem to get very little temperate weather. Plus,
on the cool days, the humidity is often quite high, and so is the
pollen/mold/allergen count.

I'm much more excited about our attic exhaust fan, which seems to make
a big difference in the ability of our A/C to get the job done efficiently.

YMMV.

I am outside of Chicago.
In our existing house, there are many days when the house is hotter on
the inside due to the temp drop in the evening.

On Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:25:02 -0500, The dude
wrote:

We were thinking of adding a whole house fan to our two story house.

is this something that is normally DIY? Assuming I can run the power
myself.

Is there a typical installation location? Can this be installed in the
attic access hole? Assuming I will only need access to work on things
in the attic - not to store stuff.

Anyone have one and think it is a waste?

A common area is the upper floor hallway or in the ceiling of an
attached garage. Best to have a separate access hole and attic
fan--House fans should be secured into the joists to prevent vibration
issues. I have one and installed a timer wall switch. Nice to have
2 or 3 speeds. This is a good DIY project. The louvered cover cost
was somewhat expensive, about the price of the fan itself, but you
need a good one that seals to block out drafts and stop insects.

The main thing to consider is the exhaust area in the attic. You'll need
TEN (10) Square feet of exhaust area for a 30" fan. Bigger fan, even more
area. And yes, the upstairs hallway is a common place for a fan. You'll
need to cut at least one ceiling joist and box in the area. The electrical
is really the simple part. And yes, you can leave the fan just sitting on
the newly created box you've framed in and that can be your attic access.

s


"The dude" wrote in message
. ..
We were thinking of adding a whole house fan to our two story house.

is this something that is normally DIY? Assuming I can run the power
myself.

Is there a typical installation location? Can this be installed in the
attic access hole? Assuming I will only need access to work on things in
the attic - not to store stuff.

Anyone have one and think it is a waste?

If it vibrates, it needs to be taken back and a GOOD one purchased. The fan
doesn't need any attachment, only to sit on a half inch of foam
weatherstripping to cut down on noise transmission. In fact, if you screw
or nail it down, it will only get louder.


steve



"Phisherman" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:25:02 -0500, The dude
wrote:

We were thinking of adding a whole house fan to our two story house.

is this something that is normally DIY? Assuming I can run the power
myself.

Is there a typical installation location? Can this be installed in the
attic access hole? Assuming I will only need access to work on things
in the attic - not to store stuff.

Anyone have one and think it is a waste?

A common area is the upper floor hallway or in the ceiling of an
attached garage. Best to have a separate access hole and attic
fan--House fans should be secured into the joists to prevent vibration
issues. I have one and installed a timer wall switch. Nice to have
2 or 3 speeds. This is a good DIY project. The louvered cover cost
was somewhat expensive, about the price of the fan itself, but you
need a good one that seals to block out drafts and stop insects.