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What's right? whole house fan, gable, soffit and ridge vents, roof fan ?

What's right? whole house fan, gable, soffit and ridge vents, roof fan ?


  #1  
Old 04-25-18, 11:00 AM
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What's right? whole house fan, gable, soffit and ridge vents, roof fan ?

We have a 'whole house fan' in the ceiling of our 2nd floor. It pulls air through the house / open windows and up into the attic.

In theory, that air would get out of the attic via the gable vents, right?

When the fan is running, I can put my hand near wall switches on 2nd floor and feel faint breeze coming INTO room. So the attic is getting pressurized with the fan forcing air into the attic and in trying to get out, the air finds its way back down the walls to the wall switches? That's not optimal. We do have 2 gable vents and some soffit vents. None look plugged / covered with lint.

we're getting a new roof put on and would like to hear from people here about this and what you would recommend:

Put in a ridge vent?
Would you then close up the gable vents?
Are more soffit vents bad
We have a powered roof fan. The motor is shot. Would you replace the motor / keep the fan?

In theory, the ridge vent lets hot air out and the soffit vents let the air into the attic. The ridge vent runs the length of the roof, so shouldn't there be almost 1 long soffit vent / is too much soffit vent bad?

Yes, there are baffles keeping the insulation away from the eaves / air can freely flow from the soffit vents up along the underside of the roof.

Would you think a ridge vent would solve the pressurized attic when whole house fan is on?

I like simple / reliable / maintenance free situations. Does the ridge vent allow blustery water to get blown into the attic? Are there different types some better than others?

THANKS and sorry for all the questions!
 
  #2  
Old 04-25-18, 11:06 AM
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Where did your other thread go?

Oops, sorry I didn't read far enough... I was thinking of a similar thread.

There is not enough make up air, so the whole house fan is drawing air in anyplace it can get it.

I would only keep the whole house fan if you use it and like it. You would surely have to open a lot of windows to make it work, (so its not air starved... creating negative air pressure inside) and yes, you would need plenty of exhaust, which may not be adequate. Biggest complain most people have about whole house fans is how cold the are in the winter. It's like a big uninsulated hole in your ceiling.

IMO adding ridge vent is almost always a good thing, as is more soffit ventilation.

Yes some types are better than others.
 
  #3  
Old 04-25-18, 11:25 AM
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Oh gosh! I didn't remember posting this before - last fall!. and you're taking the time to post on so many different things and you remembered this one! Damn, I joke I have bad memory, but this is proof.

It took a bit of searching, but yeah, I asked this last year:

Advice for getting a new roof please! 1 of many?: Ridge vent or fan?

So yes, Bud said keep the gable vents, add the ridge. likely add more soffit vents. He said get rid of the attic fan. I'm reading that now as the fan on the roof pulling air out of attic to atmosphere. But then talks of it bringing conditioned air into the attic so is he referring to the whole house fan?

On days when it's 'nice out'. the breeze being pulled through the house from the whole house fan is nice. Probaly would be better if the air could get out of the attic once it gets there?

I'd really like to keep the whole house fan. I'm thinking there's 2 different ventilations I;m asking about - the attic (soffit to ridge and or gable) and through windows on 1st floor and out house through the whole house fan into the attic.

Thanks for catching that previous post!
 
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Old 04-25-18, 02:47 PM
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Sept of 2016, you're good X.
A ridge vent would help, plus some detailed air sealing of the attic floor/ceiling below.
This link may help with the air sealing:
https://www.energystar.gov/ia/partne...ide_062507.pdf

During winter you should have an insulated air sealed cover for that whole house fan. Be sure no one turns that fan on while covered as it needs air flow for its own cooling.

Get rid of any attic fans exhausting air from the attic but keep the whole house fan for those fringe times when the outside air is perfect.

I'm still here occasionally but visit less as others here do a great job on energy topics.

Bud
 
  #5  
Old 04-25-18, 03:40 PM
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I was actually confusing it with that other attic fan thread from yesterday/this morning... but thanks. lol

Keep visiting us Bud, we need your expertise!
 
 

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