Gable Mount Attic Exhaust Fan

[@CavanalK5]

Many thanks John, from hot and humid Eastern Oklahoma. I’m preparing (“fixin’ to” in Okie) to this same thing. I ordered the Maxx Air brand 1300 cfm 2400 sq ft unit that has the separated thermostat box like you spoke of. Excellent point on yours maybe not reading a true temp. Sounds good to me anyway. I ordered it back in March but ended up off my feet with a bum leg til the dog days of summer. Fun fun! Planning to make it a 5 am project after the night cools things off. Thanks again! -Lance

[@fixitjohn]

Sorry about your leg. This fall would be a good time to do it.

[@holysabre1612]

Great tid bits of info concerning all the fine details of why you are doing what you are doing. It helps with us guys learning to DIY

[@fixitjohn]

I am glad it helped. My motivation for my DIY projects is to save my family and your family money so we can spend it on entertainment or dinner out.

[@Pallidus_Rider]

Thank you for the detailed explanations. A lot of videos seem to gloss over details.

[@fixitjohn]

Glad it was helpful!

[@James-mm8gc]

This was helpful thanks. Although I personally could have used a little more info on connecting the power to the light. Thank you sir.

[@fixitjohn]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jere2464]

@@fixitjohn You pigtailed the ground wires, got that. What did you do with the black and white ones?

[@fixitjohn]

@@jere2464 I hooked them to the black and white wires in the switch box.

[@jere2464]

@@fixitjohn thank you 😊

[@hazamc1]

Very Good and detailed information 😊.

[@fixitjohn]

Glad it helped. Thanks!

[@13ghosts31]

Even with having a ridge and soffit vents, this should still cool down my crawl space, right? I keep seeing people saying not to install one cause I have a ridge vent.

[@fixitjohn]

@@13ghosts31 venting a crawl space is always a good idea.

[@13ghosts31]

@@fixitjohn Thank you. It just doesn’t make sense when people say I shouldn’t do it. I figure if I get airflow going, it would be better than having stagnant air.

[@marcusrice501]

Off topic question but just curious, what was that speaker in the attic for? An alarm? Thanks for the video

[@fixitjohn]

Hi Marcus, Yes that speaker went to an old alarm system.

[@MediaUzer]

can I use one of those light bulb socket to plug adapters to plug in an attic fan? there's already a light bulb in my attic like in this video and I don't want to mess with the junction box

[@fixitjohn]

I wouldn’t. It’s not that much harder to hardwire it. Good luck and thanks for watching.

[@davidcheung6748]

Very thoughtful installation 👏👏

[@fixitjohn]

Thanks 👍 Sorry I missed your comment.

[@samuelwilliams7331]

Looks good. Tackling this project next Fall when it cools down. Have you air sealed your attic yet?

[@fixitjohn]

As far as leak’s coming from the ceiling?

[@rebeccapugh1466]

So far, so good! I installed this fan yesterday. kzbin.infoUgkx7yWIKcrbA9KMHkGSfcgxW2lsjHT6B8Sh I've been watching a continuous radon monitor in my house for about a week, and the levels have been running between 4.5 and 7.9 pCi/L. Shortly after I installed this fan, the radon level started dropping, and in less than 24 hours since I installed it, the level is now 1.9. My basement is approximately 2,000 square feet. Total home square footage above basement is approximately 4,000 square feet. The noise level so far is very quiet. Mine is installed indoors, so I had to purchase a cord and connector. If I have any problems later, I'll update my review. But for now, I'm very pleased with it.Update after 48 hours: Using a constant monitor, my radon is now fluctuating between 0.38 and 0.45 pCi/L. I've moved the monitor to my basement and am getting a constant 0.43 reading. After 24 hours, and when I know the weather will be safe, I'll place the monitor outside for about 12 hours. I'm thinking that the 0.38 to 0.45 may be the outside "ambient" radon level. I'm using this monitor (purchased from Amazon): Corentium Home Radon Detector by Airthings 223

[@fixitjohn]

Good to know!

[@williamlane3422]

If you have the fan on a switch leg, the t stat is only getting voltage when the lights are on. I only seen two wires in that box. One of which you put in for the exhaust fan. Now your exhaust fan is switched with the light. The fan needs a constant source of voltage.

[@fixitjohn]

Hi William, yes the fan has constant power it is wired before the switch. Thanks for watching it.

[@ChiaYang-q8x]

It's going to get false readings T static mount with unit...

[@dennyfrontier]

You should put another fan on the other side of the attic and make it the ultimate wind tunnel

[@fixitjohn]

I have seen that done, but I only have one open end in the gable attic. Most of the draft comes from the soffits. I do have three passive exhaust vents in the roof though.

[@te8828]

Its best to have two fans of the same capacity, except on one end of the house it should be drawing in air into the attic and the other draws it out. You could cause very serious problems to your house by not having an airflow because if there's just one exhaust fan, there's nothing for it to draw so it's gonna draw whatever air it can which is most likely cooled air from your living space.

[@fixitjohn]

Thank you for your comment. The fan does draw air from the outside and it comes from the eaves down lower than this fan is placed meaning the cooler air comes in heats up and is picked up by the exhaust fan. This house was built with only one gable vent. Thanks for watching.

[@te8828]

@@fixitjohn I understand the thought, however, I respectfully disagree. You need to have the same CFM coming in as is going out. The goal here is to have a 50/50 ratio and you're just not going to come even close with the minor seepage from eaves. The goal here is to have your attic be the same as the temperature outside and you simply cannot evacuate the heat you are wanting using an attic fan that has no intake. You want a steady flow of air crossing across your attic while trying to lower your home temperature. My home was built in 1960 and I don't even have eves, nor any for at all for heat mitigation... that just wasn't a thing in 1960. I had to do this out of necessity but in the process of learning before installing, it's common knowledge you must have equal air flow from the outside as is going out. You're just trying to get rid of the 150 degree air and a simple attic fan will never accomplish that.

[@te8828]

Also, when I referred to potential damage to your home by not having an intake in my inital message, there is a laundry list of things you do not want to happen to your home. For example, if your home was built with eave vents and I assume a roof point escapement, You are going to mess up the balance and cause mold or wood decay... the fact is, motorized intake and extraction is the most effective measure but you are not supposed to mix different kind of mitigation techniques, they work against each other, not together.@@fixitjohn

[@bokononisti2820]

@@te8828 Agreed that having inflow of air, whether passive or active (maybe continuously vented soffit would be sufficient) to match the exhaust will be optimal to keep attic temp within several degrees of outside temp. Are you using an attic intake fan? Do you have gables on either end of the house, so you can just flip one of the gable mount fans to be an intake?

[@MrWhitelightning73]

Outstanding

[@fixitjohn]

Thanks

[@MrWhitelightning73]

@@fixitjohn Are the rubber washers necessary. I will take mine off and put them on if so.

[@fixitjohn]

@@MrWhitelightning73 I was just trying to minimize vibration because that fan is about 4’ above our bedroom ceiling.

[@MrWhitelightning73]

@@fixitjohn Ok

[@fixitjohn]

@@MrWhitelightning73 thanks for reaching out.

[@heatherwall7939]

I will have to hire someone to install a gable attic fan. Should I be looking for someone who is an electrician or a carpenter or a HVAC professional?

[@fixitjohn]

Hi Heather, I would definitely hire a licensed electrician you may need a handyman to install it hope this helps. Thanks for watching it.

[@heatherwall7939]

@@fixitjohn Thank you!!!

[@fixitjohn]

@@heatherwall7939 You are welcome.

[@meboyotube]

Thank you!

[@fixitjohn]

You are welcome.

[@miguelaestrada]

Very informative but like any other video about gable fan installation it fails to show you the before and after temperature in the roof.

[@fixitjohn]

Thank you for the tip, Miguel. I did not even think of that because I installed it in the wintertime. Great idea though.

[@esojrdz84]

Did you just connect the attic fan to the light switch leg??? Lol I dont see a chain at the light socket? So the attic fan is going to work as long as that light switch is on

[@fixitjohn]

Yes and no it is not connected to the switch!

[@tamho8383]

How many CFM on your attic fan?

[@fixitjohn]

I think1020 CFM it has been a long time. Works great still. If I had it to do over with the way my attic is vented. I would have installed it on the trusses because I have off-ridge, ridge vents. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching.

[@bobmcnelis3648]

That louver is going to block 50% of the fan output. If you doubt me, try it. I can’t give you the best work around for it, but I would be thinking of a larger louver, or screening.

[@fixitjohn]

Ok thank you Bob.

[@lindaleg3659]

Does this fan help Bring down temperature in your attic?

[@fixitjohn]

Yes, the fan will bring down the temperature. I have put other brands up that have not lasted very long and, that sucks so far this Braun is running strong. I set mine at 100 degrees. I think When I go back up in the attic. I will set it to 110 degrees because here in Florida. It will run until 11:30 to 12:00 PM. If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask. P.S. I like your albums.

[@JohnnyRogers]

Good Job!

[@fixitjohn]

Thank you, Mr. Rogers.

[@MikaelLewisify]

So, the fan only works when the light is on??

[@fixitjohn]

No, it works all the time it is not part of the switch in the light. I did, however, turn the temperature up to 115 degrees because it ran all the time.

[@MikaelLewisify]

Fix it John oh, ok. I’ve just instanced a fan like this, but I’m not sure what to connect it to. There’s no light in my attic. The nearest power is my garage lights (both on same outlet) and my garage door opener. Can I tap into any of those?

[@fixitjohn]

​ If it has a junction box there and if it is not already overloaded meaning, not drawing too much current. You can, however, run a dedicated circuit back to the junction box by adding a new breaker it is easier then it sounds using the proper gauge wire and breaker. Before doing so, turn the main disconnect off !!!

[@Chris-gp2ku]

@@fixitjohn it runs all the time because fans don't cool

[@leesunlung]

How much is the vant?

[@fixitjohn]

Hi Leesunlung, I think you are asking how much was the fan. I truly do not remember but I know that it is a braun. Thanks for watching.

[@WV591]

not good idea to have thermostat right at fan should be way back where the heat is not around flowing air.

[@fixitjohn]

Thanks for the tip.

[@mariesacul722]

Omg. It dont plug in?

[@fixitjohn]

Is that good or bad for you Marie? Thanks for watching.

[@mariesacul722]

@@fixitjohn not good! Lol. I'm just trying to fix a few things while my husbands going through some medical surgery's. I am not even playing with electricity. Thank you so much though. Maybe, later dates I will learn that part. For now, probably best if I dont play with any electrical wiring. I should've anticipated it would be this way. And I'm sure I would be way in over my head, even more. I'm trying. But, some things best I know not to try.:) God bless you and yours!

[@CavanalK5]

@@mariesacul722 if you search around, you can find models that are plug and play with a dedicated power cord. I had found one on Amazon while searching for the one I ended up purchasing. It seems like it wasn’t large enough for my house size. If I run onto it again, I will post the link back to you. I saved John’s video to my favorites to find it again. Edit: on second thought....I found a few while searching Amazon just now. Get on there and search “attic fan with plug”. There’s a couple different styles including a QuietCool brand that’s blue (it has some ability to connect to a phone app) and there are some that is iLiving brand that have a plug and a pull chain to turn it on and a thermostat knob. Looks like most of those have louvers on them as well. This info may point you in the right direction. Prayers for your husband’s healing and for your sanity. Ive gone through 4 hospital stays and 5 surgeries in the last 8 months and thank God every day for my wife being by my side and taking care of everything else as well.