From: jtaylor@mksol.dseg.ti.com (Jeff Taylor)
Subject: Re: Whole-House Fan Choice is Not a Breeze
Organization: Texas Instruments, Inc.
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 21:36:14 GMT

In article <25860029@hpcvra.cv.hp.com> tedb@hpcvra.cv.hp.com (Ted Beers) writes:
>From: tedb@hpcvra.cv.hp.com (Ted Beers)
>Subject: Whole-House Fan Choice is Not a Breeze
>Date: 4 Sep 92 17:08:27 GMT
>
>  I'm planing to install a whole-house fan in my house under
>  constructions as an alternative to air conditioning (and short-term,
>  as a way to exhaust the toxic new-house material fumes).  The advice
>  available locally is frighteningly scarce, so I was hoping the net
>  might offer some input.
>
>  I've narrowed down the manufacturer choice to Nutone or Broan, and
>  previous net wisdom has suggested that a direct-drive model is
>  preferable to a belt-drive one.  Here's the problem:  The largest size
>  direct-drive fans push around 5000 CFM (cubic feet per minute), which
>  the manufacturers claim is suitable for a 1600 sq. ft. house, but
>  our new one-story house is 2450 sq. ft.!  So will I be causing
>  problems using an undersized fan, or does this simply mean it'll take
>  a few more minutes to change the air in the house?  Other comments?  I
>  really feel like I'm trying to make this decision without sufficent
>  information.
>
>  Thanks for your input.
>
>				Ted Beers

I just built a 2400 sq fter in the dallas, tx area and moved in about 3 
months ago. Didn't pay much attention to the brand name, but it was the 
biggest belt-drive Home Depot sold at the time. I its a 36" diameter with 
two speeds. ITS GREAT! The only real problem I'm having is that the builder 
didn't put enough sophet vents in. I counted 19. To top that off, the hole 
that he cut under the vent grill was about 1/3 the size it should have been. 
I need to take them all off and get up there with a scroll saw or something 
to open them up. I also have 3 12" turbines near the peak. The fan 
manufactorer (I still can't remember who made the thing...) recommends 
approximately 13 sq ft of vent area. My fan now seems to work as well on low 
speed as it does on high because of the exhaust resistance. I've thought 
about installing an air conditioner return duct grill in the ceiling of my 
patio, but still thinking up ideas.

Here's a thought for you. I absolutely hated the idea of mounting the fan 
inside the house in the bedroom hallway due to the heat gain it represented 
when we do run the A/C. So... I mounted it in the garage and added a screen 
door to the utility room adjacent the garage. This gives us several 
advantages: no heat gain when not using it, low noise since its away from 
the living areas, and (when I get enough attic ventilation) it'll be easy to 
pull the heat out of the garage for evening projects without disturbing the 
in house A/C'd temperature/humidity.

I prefer the belt-drive models. They have higher CFM and are quieter.

The builder had one of the framers build me a box for the fan in the joists 
for free. The only thing that cost was the fan, an extra electrical box and 
a Saturday morning of my time after the sheet rock was in place and painted.

I could go on and on. Here's one... my wife even likes it!

Don't forget to mount it on something that won't transmit sound to the 
wooden framework. I used a rubber garage door seal. Since it was "L" shaped, 
it provided isolation on bottom and on the sides.

Have fun...

		Jeff Taylor

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