Attic fan question?

k.kuenn

We have a small cape cod with a finished attic. A small part of the attic (about 8X10 feet) is unfinished storage. I'm looking to add an attic fan to lessen the amount of heat we have upstairs in the summer. It's extremely hot. In this situation, do we put the attic fan in the storage area, or would this not pull enough air from upstairs considering it's in an enclosed area? I cannot envision putting it in the finished attic space. Help?

stitch

If the storage area is an enclosed space and you install the attic fan there, the fan will only ventilate the storage space, and this is only if you provide adequate free inlet area for air to enter the storage area and replace the air you are removing.

You may want to consider installing a quiet attic fan (with a guard below so people can't stick their hands into the fan) that pulls air directly from the finished space in your attic. When you run this fan, it is important to open windows so fresh air from outdoors is pulled in through the open windows, through the attic to the fan, then back outdoors.

Another alternative would be to install the fan above the storage space and put in grilles that allow air to freely travel from the finished space to the storage space. This would move the fan and associated noise away from the living space while still allowing the fan to pull air from the living space (if windows are open to let fresh air in).

DangerMouse

personally, i'd go with a solar powered attic fan(s), the hotter it gets, the faster it/they blow(s)!
and the cost to run it/them is nice too!
if you let it breathe from gable to gable with the fans, they'll remove the heat just fine.

DM

__________________
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Click
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
to see some of my original magic tricks and trick boxes!

beenthere

Becarefull of attic fans.

If the vents can't bring in as much air as the fan can move.
The fan will draw that air from where ever it can. Even if it has to draw it out of the house.

k.kuenn

Besides an attic fan would you recommend a different solution?

beenthere

Turbines.

They won't put teh house into a negative pressure.

k.kuenn

Thank you! this helps, a LOT! I was googling the turbines to shop them and came up with another question. Is the combination of a ridge vent, turbine and soffit/edge vents appropriate? I would like to use all three.

Or is it the rule to use only one; either a ridge vent or turbine...not both?

beenthere

Turbines without ridge works best.

The ridge could decrease the ability of the turbines.