Installation of an Air Vent Whole House Fan

[@venturavaca]

*Well-made, delivered quickly, and easy to install with **Fastly.Cool** . I may be imagining it, but it seems quieter than the 14 year-old unit that I pulled out. Of course it was noisy at the end due to failed bearings, so hard to compare.*

[@adriang7035]

Great video. I just bought one of these from HD . I am planning the project while I wait for the fan to be dleivered in a few days. Watching your install is helping me to hopefully avoid some issues. Thanks for sharing.

[@renesilva6132]

Thank you very much for your advise. I have to install one and I was just scratching my head, no idea how to do it. Thank you again. God bless you

[@y2kam550]

Impressive how quiet it is for a direct drive, even on high speed.

[@viendu12c2]

Thanks for sharing some great ideas! I would install the hinges between the Fan and the 2x6 frame. That way, you can swing it open to the side when you want to access the attic.

[@bfruchter]

Agreed. I bought hinges and intended to attach the fan to the frame, but haven't got around to it. LOL

[@heroknaderi]

I appreciate it and enjoyed your installation 😮👍😎😎😎 I’m planning on getting one too

[@globaljg]

Great instructional video - very professional and thorough -thanks!

[@globaljg]

Based on your experience, is the noise difference worth getting s belt driven system?

[@bfruchter]

+globaljg Sorry for the delayed response. I don't know. I haven't compared the noise level of a belt-driven model against our direct-drive model. Ours is a bit noisy at the high speed, but we can still hear the TV in the upstairs bedrooms (if we turn up the volume a little higher).

[@afatherofmany]

this is an exceptional video and reading the comments was highly beneficial thank you for creating a great video

[@bfruchter]

Thank you for the kind words Father of Many.

[@barberking4920]

Hi would you know where I can find a pull switch? Mine stopped working.

[@beheuer1]

Really nice video, I was wondering what options there were between removing a section of the ceiling truss or building on top of it. I just bought a 30” fan and hope to install it next week when the weather cools off.

[@강인-i5d]

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

[@roundart]

Thank you so much! This was really helpful. I wouldn't have thought to add the extra 6 inches of height and I also would not have thought to supply the foam insulation. (Now I have to figure out the wiring)

[@bfruchter]

Stephen Randall You're welcome. I read through most of the reviews of this product on Amazon & other sites before buying & installing. I learned the tips I used from reading those reviews (sprinkled nuggets of information scattered about). I also watched other Whole House Fan videos on KZbin. I figured I'd capture my experience to share with others. The wiring kindof seems simple, but I hired an electrician just to be sure. I really like the 2 switches - High / Low & Timer. They work well. Good luck!

[@roundart]

Bruce in OC I made a variation that I thought I would share with you (and by extension, the group). I used 1" weather strip seal as my buffer between the frame and the fan and used some case latches (goo.gl/ZCEtX3) to secure the fan in place. Gravity felt a little wonky to me. The wiring was not as tricky as I thought, but I relied on a friend who knows what he is doing to make the final decisions. The hard part for him was trying to actually explain it to me. lol

[@markjulius2006]

Good video. Nice job on your project. What was the main reason for not securing the fan on top of the box? Vibration could eventually shift the fan over. Using industrial velcro tape would be better than not securing it at all. Just a thought. Good job and it looks good too. Thumbs up. 🙂

[@renepalma1943]

great video and tutorial. awesome tips. thank you

[@devinmanning257]

What does this do vent the attic, or take hot air out of the home? If the ac is running wouldn't it not be wise to run the fan as it sucks the cold air out of the interior of the home?

[@MelissaMasariuDalCorobbo]

We use ours in the Spring and Fall to suck the cool outside air in and push the hot air upstairs out through the attic. We do not use it when the A/C is running.

[@oldhandyluke]

Great video but I wouldn't trust holding up the luvors up with just velcro.

[@baref1959]

hope you or someone is still out there to help me understand. I have been thinking of a similar install and have an existing 24 x 24 hole. what are the outside dimensions of the unit? and will the shutter opening fit an existing 24 x 24 inch hole?

[@Daconthocon78]

What's the maintainence for the belt one?

[@rickt2419]

Good video and alteration to further isolate the fan noise. Q1, How has the Velcro holding the vent cover? Q2. The house warm air is now vented in to the attic, is the hot air in the attic naturally evaporated out (or do you have another fan on the roof to suction the attic hot air out) through the roof?

[@bfruchter]

A belt-driven model, such as the Air Vent 54506 (30"), has the motor to the side and a pulley with a belt. I'm not an expert, but I understand that over time the pulley tension may require adjustment, the belt may crack and eventually break, and I believe I read somewhere it may require periodic lubrication (not sure).

[@victorraye57]

I have a belt driven attic fan and I've never had an issue in over 20 years... I have my smart switch before the two speed attic fan switch.

[@cherrysdiy5005]

Differences in heat and humidity can make the difference. I'd recommend you check the fan out every year.

[@bige7460]

How much attic ventilation to you need, coming from outside vents, in order to use a whole house fan.

[@bfruchter]

+Big E The Air Vent requirement for the 24" whole house fan is 6 sq ft of open attic vent area to exhaust the air. If there are louvers on a vent, Air Vent suggests you divide the measurement of that vent's space in half. Note: the attic vents are to exhaust the air out. The fan sucks air from open windows inside the house into the attic and out through the attic vents. The Installation Instructions talks about the attic ventilation requirements. www.airvent.com/installation/79-direct-drive-whole-house-fans-installation-instructions/file

[@bige7460]

+Bruce in OC Much appreciated.

[@Fishing1980]

my room 12'x10' feet . small window and i have 1 wall fan .day time and night very hot . what do i choose wall exhaust fan or ceiling exhaust fan to make my room cool from hot air .

[@bfruchter]

The Air Vent house fan is too large for just a single room. However, an exhaust fan (from another manufacturer) that sucks air out of the room could provide the same effect. As for wall or ceiling... I'm not sure of your home / building situation, but the fan would need to be able to exhaust to the outside, either into the attic and through a vent or directly on a wall. The air temperature outside needs to be lower than the temperature inside in order for it to be effective at cooling. The window would need to be open to suck the cooler air into the room when the exhaust fan is running.

[@ballerina6179]

Did you have to install additional venting to the outside? I have a ridge vent at the peak and deep soffits all around my house will that be enough venting out of the air sucked into the attic?

[@bfruchter]

The Air Vent requirement for the 24" whole house fan is 6 sq ft of open attic vent area to exhaust the air. Louvers and screens create obstructions, so Air Vent's suggested rule of thumb is to divide those vent areas in half when calculating vent space. That said, I didn't measure my vents. I did some mental math which made me concerned about adequate venting, so I installed a gable vent - 12" x 18" that I purchased at Home Depot for around $18. I think it meets the requirements now. Soffit vents count in calculating the total size, but figure 50% on those. If you do install additional venting, there's a whole science behind balancing the venting at the top of the roof / attic (ridge or gable vents) with venting at the base of the attic (soffits). I didn't follow the science in my case which could have some impact on optimal heating and cooling, but I think it will be minor. The Air Vent installation instructions and requirements can be found at www.airvent.com/pdf/installation/WholeHouse-DirectDrive-install.pdf.

[@ballerina6179]

So I measured my soffits that run on both sides the length of my house that has attic space. They have white vinyl siding with the venting holes covering them. They are 2ft deep and run the length of both sides of my house which is 34ft each side. That means 2ft x 34ft = 68sqft of soffit for each side - that's 136sqft!! Even if I use only 25% of that to account for the blocking effect of the screening that's still 34sqft. Does that sound right? Could I get away with not adding additional venting to the attic? I know it sounds crazy but my soffits really are that deep. I have a dutch colonial that actually looks like a barn with a deep overhang and I really want to avoid cutting into the siding. Thanks for your help.

[@ballerina6179]

I forgot- I also have the ridge vent at the peak that runs 34ft also...

[@bfruchter]

ballerina617 No, you don't measure the depth of the vent space from the outside to the inside (which you say is 2 ft in your case). You need to measure the area of the vent openings. In the case of sofits, measure the circle openings on the outside. The area of a circle is Pi (3.14) x the Radius squared. I'm not sure if the 2 ft depth causes additional resistance, but maybe figure a 50% reduction.

[@ballerina6179]

Bruce in OC OK, if I'm understanding you correctly - I have to measure the area of the little holes in the vinyl soffit that you see when you look up to the eaves from the outside? (These holes are tiny and there are lots of them on each piece of vinyl soffit) I can do this - I hope... I measure one tiny circle's area and multiply that by how many circles on each piece of soffit...? What I meant by "2ft depth" is the overhang distance from the roof edge to the side of the house - the soffit. It's a nice big overhang to stand under in a rain storm and not get wet!

[@rachelrose4534]

do you need to use on/off switch that comes with fan

[@bfruchter]

The fan does not come with a wall switch. It only comes with a pull chain that you can use to turn it on & off. There are 2 speeds - low & high. Think ceiling fan pull chain. If you want a wall switch, you need to purchase that separately. You can go with Air Vent's switch or another 3rd-party that accommodates 3 settings (2 on for low & high and off). I went with the Air Vent 2 Way Switch (Low, High, Off) Model 58030 www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009STC8O and I also bought an Intermatic 1/2/4/8 Hour Timer Switch Model EI220W www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LWIGU8 at Amazon.com. Both switches are mounted side-by-side in a double-gang box on the wall nearby. The Intermatic Timer Switch is the first in line for the power (hot) and needs to be turned on in order to supply power to the Air Vent 2 Way Switch. The Intermatic Timer Switch has settings for 1, 2, 4, 8, or indefinite ("hold") power. This is useful to turn on the fan for, say, 2 hours at bed time, enough to cool down the house and then turn off on its own while you're sleeping. I used an electrician to do the wiring.

[@rachelrose4534]

the one we bought came with a walll switch we have had 2 whole house fans before this one had on /off switch on wall do we need to change old wall switch for new one

[@bfruchter]

I bought the Air Vent whole house fan model 54301 (WH242MLX) 2 years ago & it didn't come with a switch. You can use your existing wall switch, but if it only has an On and Off, then you'll only be able to wire 1 speed (Low or High) to your switch. It's best to have a switch that has 2 on settings for low and high speeds and an off setting.

[@cc9316]

can a whole house fan be installed on a vertical wall, or does it have to be a ceiling (I have vaulted ceilings)?

[@cherrysdiy5005]

Technically you could install the fan on the wall, but it'd have to be as close to ceiling as possible. Although it could never be as efficient as one mounted into the ceiling.

[@schutendohkji548]

Yes. I like ur idea about moving the fan up w 2 x 6 (1.5" T x 5.5" W actual) to make it quieter. I c u also used steel angles at the corner joints as angle nailing/screwing the lumber joints are not that strong. So, where did u get the long drill that flexes?

[@schutendohkji548]

Yah, i dislike using nails. U can't remove it easily and can crack/split the lumber. Only carpenters r allowed to use nails. they don't care and won't b back either as u won't check their work till 3 - 8 yrs later!

[@schutendohkji548]

Another thing to add: The attic must have enough venting Sq.Ft for a given fan's CFM. Otherwise it's like trying to use ur lungs to blow hard rubber balloon, as ur face gets red (hot like the fan's motor gets hot as it tries to draw more current/blood for a human) and lungs start to bust. Hmmm, Here's the nice table guide showing Fan Size vs. vent opening needed (at 3:19): kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4HNdmOgjq-ljpo Make sure windows n doors r open B4 turning on the Fan! Hope ya all enjoy the installation n its reward!

[@schutendohkji548]

Should also install a slide door at the ceiling to close the opening. may want to add some insulation on the top of the slide door hatch too! and don't forget to open that hole B4 turning the fan on for the season.

[@michaelhaluska5333]

Where did you get that long flexible drill bit?

[@bfruchter]

It was just a long 1/8" drill bit that I bought at Ace Hardware or Home Depot (I don't remember). It's not intended to be bent, but it's flexible somewhat because it's so long. However, it could snap if bent too much. It's best to drill straight, but, well, I guess I was crooked a little.

[@peger]

6:35 It may be a good idea to use a wireless switch. Make sure your attic is well ventilated

[@MrW00LY]

how did you wire it in to the switch? I am getting ready to do this install in a week or so and am wanting all the tips I can get so I dont get blind sided by anything.

[@bfruchter]

I bought an Air Vent 2 Way Switch (Low, High, Off) Model 58030 www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009STC8O and an Intermatic 1/2/4/8 Hour Timer Switch Model EI220W www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LWIGU8 at Amazon.com. I hired an electrician to connect the wiring, but this is what was done (I believe). We tapped into a nearby power source in the attic (a hard-wired smoke detector). The source hot (black) wire went to the Intermatic Timer Switch which then fed the Air Vent 2 Way Switch which then went to the fan's electrical box (black source). I believe the neutral (white) wire from the source connects directly to the fan's electrical box (white) and to the Intermatic Timer Switch (white). Both switches are mounted side-by-side in a double-gang box. The Intermatic Timer Switch is the first in line for the power (hot) and needs to be turned on in order to supply power to the Air Vent 2 Way Switch. The Intermatic Timer Switch has settings for 1, 2, 4, 8, or indefinite ("hold") power. This is useful to turn on the fan for, say, 2 hours at bed time, enough to cool down the house and then turn off on its own while you're sleeping. Note: the fan louvers make a clap noise as they close (drop from gravity) when the fan turns off. This can wake you up if you're a light sleeper. The instructions for the Intermatic Timer Switch are at the link below. www.intermatic.com/~/media/Intermatic/Documentation/Timers/In-Wall/Electronic/EI200%20Series/EI220%20Instructions.ashx

[@manteigamendoim]

i am looking forward to doing this soon, i have a smallish house, 1400sqfoot, many sliding doors and windows. Do you still recommend everything that you have done in the video? I am not super handy but i figure i could follow your design exactly and should be allright. is there anything you would change? still recommend the model of fan? Thanks

[@bfruchter]

manteigamendoim Yes, I still recommend this model. I think it would be great for a home 1,400 sq ft. I think it's a little weak for a 2,400+ sq ft 2 story home to cool the entire house quickly, but it works fine for cooling the upstairs with strategic windows open & others closed. If you're going to install it yourself & you're not too handy, you might want to skip building the extra box inside the attic. It's a bit of extra work. I'm not sure how much it reduces the fan noise, but I assume it helps. I recommend the same switches I bought, one that controls the speed (low & high) & one that sets the time (see my previous post for the models). I don't remove the vent cover often, but the industrial-strength Velcro seems prone to wanting to peel off, even with the re-enforced screws I used. You have to be careful when pulling it open to not rip off the Velcro tape. If you don't care about using the opening for access, skip the Velcro idea & just fasten the cover to the ceiling with screws. Good luck! This is the season to be installing it.

[@iameverywhere5842]

Is air vent and exhaustfan the same?

[@bfruchter]

Air Vent is a company that makes fan products, including whole house fans and exhaust fans. The product in my video is a whole house fan. Its similar to an exhaust fan in that they both suck air up into it. The whole house fan is larger and sucks air from inside the house into the attic whereas an exhaust fan is typically smaller and sucks air from the attic to the outside or from a bathroom or stove range through a duct to the outside.

[@mrdon515]

Bruce, how many square feet is your house that you installed this fan in?

[@bfruchter]

+mrdon515 Sorry for the delayed response. Our house is around 2,400 sf & has 2 stories. I think the 24" house fan is a little weak for the entire house. We have to be strategic on which & how many windows we have open when running it. That said, I still prefer the smaller size of a 24" opening instead of 30" & am willing to live with less airflow.

[@daviddrinen1265]

they are good for cooling but they cool in wenter becaus cold air comb in threw the vent and heat rases out in to the atic

[@gard1726field]

Can I use it and the gable fan?

[@bfruchter]

Walter Amado Yes. I have an attic exhaust fan (gable fan) that I installed that has a thermostat set for the fan to turn on when the attic temperature reaches 100 degrees (or so). The attic (gable) fan blows attic air outside, so it's working the same direction as the whole house fan, so it's fine (complementary). However, you probably don't want to operate the whole house fan if the temperature is so hot that the attic (gable) fan is running because you won't want the whole house fan to suck warm air into the house from the outside. When you wait until the outside air temperature is lower than the inside temperature, the attic (gable) fan won't be running anyway (assuming it has a thermostat). I don't see an issue anyways even if they both run at the same time.

[@paulhester1904]

I love it.

[@JESUSistheGoodNews]

what is that long drill bit you are using?

[@bfruchter]

It's just a long 1/8" bit to pre-drill screw holes.

[@JESUSistheGoodNews]

Looks like its bending and able to handle some abuse without breaking ;)

[@bfruchter]

Gerard Roy yeh, it has a little give, but it will break if bent too much

[@yibasinc5953]

Silly question but can I use this same model fan for a wall in my garage to suck air and debris OUT? Meaning it will exhaust out onto the side of my house.

[@bfruchter]

I don't know what the manufacturer's recommendation is on that, but I think what you describe would work. You would need to open a window in your garage or your garage door (probably partly) to allow airflow to suck into the garage.

[@vanni9283]

That's very quiet for a WH fan!

[@bfruchter]

Actually, it's louder than it appears. The audio from the narrararation was recorded on a different device & at a higher volume level, so it's misleading. It is noisy but tolerable. I think installing it higher (on top of the 2 x 6's) has probably helped.

[@vanni9283]

Yes it is higher. Some are installed right up against that center wood divider.

[@tripjet999]

Some kids are scared of these - believe that they might get sucked up in to them, I guess.

[@cherrysdiy5005]

lmao

[@houseoutsidelight8705]

Yeah I woke up at the attic and I was sitting in the to the fan and that means I got sucked up there

[@holdenwynn-ludwig3903]

I used to be scared of my grandparents fan but it’s covered cuz it doesn’t work good

[@robertmedina3195]

Whole house fans aren't a great option. When they're not in use the amount of air infiltration is unimaginable. In the Winter....you better have some really good cover solution. In the Summer, you may actually waste more energy using one than you would without it. The fresh air being pulled through the house is nice but these create a plethora of other problems. I'm a former energy auditor and there's a lot of good reasons I got rid of my whole house fan. If you have blow in insulation, you definitely don't want one of these. This is probably better for people living in a zone where it doesn't get very cold. Here in the Midwest I would advise against one.

[@vishalranjan9216]

You ❤

[@yulo9058]

add a air filter

[@PureMetalRider]

where? its exhausting into the attic, you'd be filtering the air going outside. Unless you filtered all of your windows.

[@cherrysdiy5005]

@@PureMetalRider The air filter is for the fan and not the air. It will slow the buildup of contaminants in the fan blades and motor.