Whole-House Gable Exhaust Fan Questions

[Robert11]

Hello:

Would like to add a whole-house attic exhaust fan to a presently louvred gable, where there is presently the typical louvred gable vent.

The problem is this:

My attic ceiling is really low, and although I can possibly get up there, once, to crawl around and install it, going up every year to oil it, and clean it, is probably out of the question for me at my age now.

But I can get to it from the outside on a ladder.

Are these things available on a hinge so that one can possibly access the motor and blades for oiling and cleaning from the outside by pivoting the whole fan ?

Is there any reasonable way of handling this kind of problem ?

Also, do most folks screen these louvred openings:

- if there is no fan; just the regular louvres ?

- if there is a fan ?

Thanks, B.

[Joseph Meehan]

Maybe this is not a great idea. There are a couple of reasons why most attic - whole house fans are mounted in the center hall where the vent is located. Service is one, but you also want to have your attic ventilated all year long with the fan on or the fan off. Your plan would likely reduce the current ventilation by blocking the existing vent.