Attic Exhaust Fans

• These fans move a lot of air and they require a certain amount of intake ventilation area to work properly.
  
• Do not install an attic exhaust fan if you already have rooftop or gable vents.  
• The fan will pull air in from the rooftop or gable vents, "short circuiting" the attic ventilation system. Attic ventilation systems are either powered or unpowered. If you install an attic exhaust fan you should plug any existing rooftop or gable vents and install more soffit vents.
  
• Rooftop fans are more powerful and are easier to install than gable fans.
  
• Solar powered fans do not require electricity but are not as powerful as electrical fans.
  
• The size of the fan required depends on the area of the attic being ventilated. This is a simple calculation, no guesswork is involved.

Powered Roof Ventilators are generally available in 3 sizes. Depending on the size of the fan, they may be available in gray, mill, or weathered wood.






Powered Gable Ventilators are also generally available in 3 sizes. They are installed with automatic shutters that open when the fan comes on.

Solar Roof Ventilators are cute.  They are more expensive than regular electrical attic fans and they do not move as much air. They run whenever the sun is shining so no controls or wiring is needed. However, most models also shut off as soon as the sun goes down or it gets cloudy. That means you have very little ventilation going on late at night when it is cool and you want to cool off your home.





  Ventilator photos used with permission of Air Vent Inc.