How to Install a Whole House Fan

Install a whole house fan so that you can enjoy cool outside air without the high cost of central air conditioning. Simple and inexpensive, whole house fans pull cool outdoor air inside through open windows and push hot indoor air outside through an attic. Use these fans alone or with air conditioning.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Caulk
• House wrap tape
• Velcro
• Contact paper
• Washer
• Wing nut
• Four 2 x 4s
• Fiberglass tube board

1. Fasten the fan's frame to the ring frame on the ceiling. Use caulk or house wrap tape. Seal any openings between the attic and living space.

2. Set down chord mounting brackets. Apply caulk to fasten the frame's border to the ceiling. Affix the fan's cover with Velcro.

3. Ensure that the stiff board insulation measures more than one inch. Wrap it with white contact paper. Mount the fan's cover to the louver cover using Velcro. Use a washer and wing nut to fasten it.

4. Confirm that the louvers move correctly. They must be free of sticking or binding. Apply caulk to the seams and cracks.

5. Use 2-by-4s to make "H" brackets that provide sufficient frame backing. They must be rigid enough to seal the unit into ceiling's opening.

6. Enclose any openings between the ring frame and fax box. Make sure that no attic air pulls across the fan when the fan is running. Provide at least 1 square foot unnetted vent area.

7. Finish by building a cover for the attic's side box. Construct it from stiff fiberglass tube board. Make the box 33-inch square with 1-inch thick walls and 6 ½-inches deep.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't install a whole house fan so that it uses air from the living space for combustion. The fan would take large amounts of air from the home and might interfere with a water heater.