attic fan advice

[Ray]

Hi, I just wanted some advice as to hiring someone knowledgeable about installing an attic fan. Our attic got ridiculously hot over the summer, and seeing as I'd like to use all that space for storage, I'm looking into options to keeping it cooler.

Complicating the project is that there aren't enough intake vents, so I would need them to be installed also. And apparently I would need to figure out the proper total surface area and placement too.

Problem is, I'm not sure who to hire. Do I call a roofer? Not sure if I could trust them to do the electrical wiring. I called a few electricians and they aren't comfortable cutting holes in the roof. Probably a general contractor? Is this something any general contractor could do?

Any advice about how to get started would be greatly appreciated.

[mm]

Just want to help on terminology. A lot of people use attic fan to mean a whole-house fan by which they mean a fan in the ceiling of the top floor that blows air from the house into the attic.

If you're talking about what I call a roof fan (even though no one else does, but I think it is hard to misunderstand) a lot of people call that a powered vent. I don't like that term, because even "vent" doesn't tell me where the vent is.

I have one, and I love mine.

[RBM]

You call both a roofer or carpenter and an electrician, and each does what he's qualified to do. Most roof fans are cheap and noisy, and since they are thermostatically operated, they run at random times. If you have one mounted directly above a sleeping area, it may be noticeable when trying to sleep

[Frank]

I'm no expert but I did install a fan years ago. Installation on roof was easy but wiring in hot attic with no support flooring was tough. Saw no effect on upstairs temperature and eventually fan wore out. A couple of years later, I bought a new roof and roofer put in a passive vent - said it would work as well as a fan. Next door neighbor had his roof fan catch fire in the middle of the night and if another neighbor coming home late had not noticed and awakened occupants, it could have been tragic. I would avoid the fan and have roofer install passive ventilation. Frank

[Todd H.]

This is a tough nut to crack. In our area, we happen to have a few attic ventilation specialists. They do roof vents of various types, exhaust fans, as well as soffit ventilation work.

I found them via recommendation from an insulation contractor.

Ventilating and Exhaust fans is a category that may exist in your local yellow pages too.

[Phisherman]

I don't trust myself, nor anyone else, to cut a hole in the roof. I don't want any leaks so I won't go there. Have you thought about a side opening?

[Goedjn]

You really truely want a cupela. Find a carpenter or a roofer to do that part, THEN find an electrician to do the fan, if chimney affect doesn't mean you don't need it after all.

[trader4]

Why does he need a cupola? There are gizzilons of homes with powered attic fans without cupolas.

Also, while getting proper attic ventilation is a great idea, I think the OP should be aware that in many areas of the country, a properly ventilated attic will still get to 110+ on even moderately hot days, which limits there use for storage, as many items don't tolerate those temps very well. I'd also strongly recommend considering non-powered ventilation, eg ridge vent, which can be effective, with 0 energy use.

[m Ransley]

As Trader said, what are lows, I live and leave houses fine which go to

-20 farenhite, thats butt chilling cold......and I don`t worry, If you are crying about +30f , go have a beer, just drain things for saftey .