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Attic Fan or save for A/C?
Buying a house in Cheyenne that DOESN'T have a/c. It's got gas forced air, so I would just have to buy a unit and condenser, run the lines, drywall, yada yada yada. Would it be worth it to take a shortcut and just install an attic fan? How hard is the install, and will it drop house temperatures enough to feel cool on a 90* day? Thanks
And by attic fan, I mean WHOLE HOUSE fan. Sorry.
Last edited by fly boy; 05-29-2015 at 18:50.
Attic fans work great depending on your home's overall insulation efficiency, and they're a snap to install. I had one at my last place which was a multilevel and I'd use it to draw in cool air in the evenings which kept the place pretty cool through the day so the central air didn't have to work so much. Only draw back is the noise near the unit, leaving windows open, and having to chock doors in the house.
It will never work as great as AC, but an attic fan should make those hot days tolerable. You can always get a window rattler too.
Last edited by Graves; 05-29-2015 at 18:59.
-Mike
"I have to return some video tapes"
I thought all you had to do is open a few windows in WY for a nice 90mph breeze?? lol
-Mike
"I have to return some video tapes"
I use a swamp cooler. A window unit cools the whole house. Your mileage may vary...
I vote for doing both as your budget allows. The fan will be nice most of the time but when it really gets hot it will be nice to kick the AC on.
I have had both for 15 years. I would not be without the whole house fan. In this area we have cool nights as a general rule. It is nice to have the ability to open any window in the house and have significant breeze coming in. With the fan you can only cool as low as the outside temp. So if the night temp only goes down to 80 over night that's as cool as it gets. I run the A/C in June, July and August just because it's easier. The fan does not raise the utility bill by any noticeable amount. The A/C will increase the bill by $100-$150 per month.
Life's hard when you're stupid
When the government came to take our guns, they knocked on the door. After our guns were gone, they never bothered knocking again - Holocaust Survivor
X2 on the swamp cooler, inexpensive to buy/run and typically there's only 2months a summer when it's hot enough to need some kind of cooling. A house fan would also be to nice have if you wife cooks like mine.......
What they all said. We have both, and rarely run the AC. Keep in mid though, the attic/roof MUST have enough additional ventilation added to efficiently vent out the air that the fan will be pushing into the attic! A whole house fan moves a LOT of air, and it has to be able to get out or else you'll just pressurize the attic and kill the effect of the fan. Probably burn out the fan motor too.
This guy installed ours and the roof vents. http://www.colohomecool.com/?gclid=C...FQ4oaQodWqoAug
Last edited by rondog; 05-29-2015 at 21:47.
There's a lot more of us ugly mf'ers out here than there are of you pretty people!
- Frank Zappa
Scrotum Diem - bag the day!
It's all shits and giggles until someone giggles and shits.....
Originally Posted by rondog
If you don't mind, what was the scope of work and ballpark cost?
Been too many years, you'd have to call him. Installed fan, wiring, switch, and several large roof vents. Seems like it was ~$1800-ish. But all I had to do was write the check and enjoy the breeze.
There's a lot more of us ugly mf'ers out here than there are of you pretty people!
- Frank Zappa
Scrotum Diem - bag the day!
It's all shits and giggles until someone giggles and shits.....
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