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Learn more A hot, poorly ventilated attic can raise your utility bills and damage the material holding your roof together. Installing an attic fan can help by lowering the temperature of your attic, which will save you money in the long run. Installing an attic fan over an existing gable vent is easiest, but you can also install an attic fan on your roof if you don't have a vent to use. A gable vent installation will require a different kind of fan than a rooftop installation.
Keep in mind that installing an attic fan on your own can be dangerous. You may want to consult a professional electrician to help with the installation. Then, cut out the circle with a reciprocating saw and mount the fan over the cutout using a drill. When the fan is securely mounted, carry it over to the vent and nail the plywood into the studs on each side. Make sure the fan is centered over the vent, with the back of the fan facing in toward the attic.
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Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1. Measure the distance between the studs on the left and right side of your vent. Use a tape measure to get an accurate measurement. Trace the circular body of your attic fan onto the center of the plywood. If they did, you can trace that instead. Seal the perimeter with an acrylic caulk. Replace any blocking you cut out when enlarging the opening. The blocking will help support the fan mounting panel.
The carton our fan came in had a circle cutout pattern that we used to size the fan opening on a piece of plywood. Installing the fan on a plywood mounting panel is a good idea because it keeps the fan blades away from the wall and it enables you to center and secure the assembly with little concern for the underlying framing.
Cut a piece of plywood to a size that will accommodate the attic framing that surrounds the vent hole. Cut the circle from the carton and position the cardboard template on the plywood so the finished hole will be centered over the vent hole when the plywood is secured to the wall.
Trace around the template with a pencil. Use a sabre saw to cut the airway in the mounting panel. Bore a hole in the waste area to start the cut.
Place the fan mounting bracket on the plywood, center the fan over the opening and screw the bracket to the plywood.
We backed our screws with washers to keep the heads from pulling through. Then, carry the fan and panel assembly into the attic, position it behind the shutter and nail it to the gable framing. How you wire your attic fan will depend on local codes and whether you can find an attic circuit with enough reserve capacity to handle the 3.
If you can't find plenty of reserve capacity in a nearby existing circuit, you'll need to go back to the service panel and create a new amp circuit dedicated to the fan and perhaps a few new attic lights. Your installation will need to meet prevailing electrical codes and will have to be inspected by a codes official. If you have any doubt about your ability to do the wiring, install the fan yourself and hire a professional to complete the electrical work.
To determine if an accessible circuit has reserve capacity, shut off its breaker and count the number of light and receptacle boxes that are on this circuit. Assign each a value of 1.
A amp circuit can serve 10 boxes and a amp circuit, If you find a circuit with 4 or 5 amps to spare, you're in luck. In our case, we were able to tap a nearby amp circuit that powered pull-chain lights in our attic. As always, make sure the power is off before working on any wiring. The fan's thermostat is already mounted in a box that's attached to the fan by a flexible conduit.
Screw this box to the plywood so it's in the direct path of the airflow. Then, go to the nearest circuit box--in our case, a pull-chain fixture.
Disconnect the fixture and set it aside for now. If there is wooden framing around the existing hole, use a saw to cut it away and set it aside for later.
Using a saber saw, carefully follow the lines of the smaller square and cut away the wall material to create a new vent hole. It's best to wear protective eyewear and a mask for this task because it can create a lot of dust. Once you've created your new vent hole, place the shutter on your original guidelines and use wood screws to attach it to the wall. If you removed any wooden framing, reinstall it around the new shutter for extra support.
Finally, seal the entire perimeter with caulk. Installing a plywood mounting panel stops the fan blades from hitting the wall and reduces the chance of damaging the wall when you install it. Draw a circle the same size as your attic fan on a plywood panel and cut it out with a saber saw.
Many attic fans come with a template to help you cut your mounting panel to the correct dimensions. Screw the fan's mounting brackets to your mounting panel, taking care to ensure that the fan is the right way up. Use a hammer to nail the plywood panel to the framing on the gable wall.
Finally, you'll need to wire the attic fan to an available electrical circuit in your attic following the manufacturer's instructions. Switch the power off at the breaker before you start. It's also important to make sure that you don't overload the circuit by installing too many fixtures.
Wiring your fan incorrectly could cause a fire hazard, so it's best to ask an expert to help with this step unless you're confident you know how to do it. You can place attic fans in the roof or in the gable wall inside your attic space. If you want to place a fan in the roof, you should position it between the rafters. Ideally, you should place your new attic fan over one of your existing vents, cutting a larger hole if necessary. This saves you the time and inconvenience of creating a new vent.
Often, attic vents do a decent job of keeping your attic cool and ventilated without any need for an attic fan. However, there are some circumstances when installing an attic fan is a good idea. If you notice that your home frequently overheats or you're spending a fortune on running your air conditioner, an attic fan could give your ventilation system a helping hand.
Humid attics often cause mold issues, which cost a lot to rectify and can even lead to breathing problems. If you see mold growing in your attic, an attic fan can help keep the space cool and dry enough to prevent further growth.
However, attic fans come with a few potential drawbacks.
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