Installing An Attic Fan With A Ridge Vent

A fan might be necessary if the construction of your house is such that you can t install a sufficient amount of roof or soffit venting or the attic has corners without enough circulation.

Installing an attic fan with a ridge vent.

The thermostat is the box you ll use to control the attic fan. By installing more roof vents such as a ridge vent you increase the possibility that most attic air will come from outside says tim carter a residential contractor in cincinnati. It could reverse the natural flow of hot air out the ridge vent. If you have few vents in your attic most of the air will be drawn from inside the house.

Once you re back in your attic look for a rafter that s close to your fan and screw the thermostat into it using the screws that came with the fan. If air is drawn in through the ridge vent while it s raining it might pull rainwater in with it which could lead to leaking or mold in the attic. To save time use an existing roof or gable vent to install your new attic fan. A few years ago i pulled out all the insulation and had the roof sprayed with foam closed up the gable vents and have saved a ton on heating and cooling costs.

Even if your roof already has ridge vents and plenty of ventilation built in it s a good idea to install gable fans or roof fans to help blow hot humid air out of the attic. You also want a fan that s appropriate for the square footage of your attic space by checking the manufacturer s specifications. Installation of this type of attic ventilation involves leaving a gap in the sheathing along the ridge and covering it with a perforated vent. A fan may actually suck air conditioned air from your home into the attic.

Combining an attic power vent fan with a ridge vent is usually not recommended because. It cooled as well or better than before. Attic ventilation fans also tend to be quite energy efficient in terms of their own operation. Mount the fan thermostat to a nearby rafter inside your attic.