A new home I purchased has 2 electric roof vent fans - I guess I have sensitive ears, cuz I can't stand the hum of the 2 fans. I've always had wind turbines in the past..
They are lubed and free, sssso for now, I've cut power to them ... How much am I hurting myself leaving them off ?
Suggestions and recommendations (without suggestions for ear plugs, etc.), will be appreciated!
Thanks, Jeff
Assuming you have sufficient venting area to start with, you don't need them at all.
In most areas they cost more energy than they save. There are a few exceptions however.
In my independent test, I found they did very little and removed the one I had.
I suggest you remove the fans, not just turn them off, as they will partly block the vent area.
This is Turtle.
First : If you got the good model / brands you will never hear them running at all.
Second : if you got the temperature set right on them your attic is at or above 125ºF and does need some cooling off to cut back on the cost of cooling the home. If you hear them running and the sun is not up. they are set too low of a temperature. They should never run at nite.
Third : The noisey ones cost about $29.00 to $39.00 and the quiet ones start at about $69.00. Now Broan has a very nice one at about $135.00 and quiet as hell. The word here is Don't expect a Yugo to run like a Roll Royce.
Forth : If you don't want to hear the noise. Buy you a good one and not hear them run.
Fifth : If you live in the Northern states, A lot of them are not cost effective. The attics up there just don't get hot enough to really save any money. Your attic would have to get above 125ºF to make the fans cost effective. You set them to come on at 125ºF and go off at about 110ºF. If you don't need them running. they will never come on and if they never come on. they burn no electricity.
Sixth : If you live in the Southern States where i live. You better keep them running to cut back on cooling cost. i have a 4 ton central system and have two of the fans on my house. One time I cut the fans off by accident and my electric bill usely would be about $180.00 during the hottest part of the summer and with the fans cut off my electric bill went to about $250.00. My central unit would run maybe 70% of the time and with the fans off. It run 100% of the time and just bearly would keep up. The attic without the fans running will get up to about 150ºF and that is too hot to put up with.
Seventh : You need to do some checking of the temperature setting and see if your attic is getting above 125ºF or so with the fans cut off. you do need them. If it don't, you don't need them.
TURTLE
If you check your shingle warrantee, you'll discover that if you don't have at least a square foot of vent opening per 300 square ft of vented space, your warrantee is void. Doesn't say anything about having a roof fan. And a fan set for 125 degrees isn't likely to run at all during the wintertime, the time for ice dams to be forming.
Owens-Corning at 1-800-ROOFING
above 125ºF and does need some cooling off to cut back on
up. they are set too low of a temperature. They should
start at about $69.00. Now Broan has a very nice one at about
like a Roll Royce.
effective. The attics up there just don't get hot enough to
the fans cost effective. You set them to come on at 125ºF
come on and if they never come on. they burn no
them running to cut back on cooling cost. i have a 4 ton
fans off by accident and my electric bill usely would be
off my electric bill went to about $250.00. My central
the time and just bearly would keep up. The attic without
if your attic is getting above 125ºF or so with the fans
I suggest you look at the Building Science Corporation web site. They provide research based suggestions for various climates. Short of either buying and mounting more expensive fans, or turning the fans off, there isn't enough ifo to give advice. My sense is that there is other information needed for a full response. Tom Baker
This is Turtle.
The Fan may not come on for heat but they have now the fan that has a humitity thermostat to be setting of the RH from 30% RH up to
99% RH. The HumitiStat is built into the thermostat for the fan. Most all have this option but comes on the $69.00 + models. The fan will run on moisture filled attics and attics with the temperature over what you want to set it on. the 125ºF setting is just a middle of the road setting temperature and you can lower or raise it as you like.Now one reason here that Owens-Corning may not get into the vent fan business. If you keep your attic below 110ºF during the summer. You would not buy as much insulation that you would buy if you had to buy if your attic was at 140ºF to 150ºF during the summer. If i run O & C , i would not get into discussing attic vent fans either. Never recommend anything that will make the customers buy less of my product.
Another thing here. If you don't have enough of air to be drawn for the fan. It will not work anyway. In normal cases you will have what O & C says for draw air even with a fan.
TURTLE
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