Can you put an attic fan with blown-in insulation?

The screening, louvers, rain covers, etc. that are a part of roof and gable end vents create resistance to air flow. Many attics have blown-in insulation. You can cover your attic fan from the top with strips of plywood that are then covered with batt fiberglass insulation.

Does a whole-house fan work with blown insulation?

The deep box around your fan should keep it from disturbing your loose-fill or blown-in insulation, assuming there are enough attic vents to provide outlets for the pumped in air. I know of several cases where whole-house fans were used without problems in attics with loose-fill insulation.

How do I walk in my attic with blown insulation?

There is no trick… just sucky, itchy, work. First, if there is enough space in your attic, you can try to push it aside using a broom, snow shovel, or something. A side sweeping broom might work best. You don’t have to broom it all out the way, just down to the tops of the ceiling rafters in the path you want to work.

When should I run my attic fan?

Attic fans work best at night when the outside temperature cools and that air is drawn into your warm home to cool it off.

Is it bad to disturb blown in insulation?

If you find blown in cellulose and can’t see all areas, say so and move on. No, it would be unsafe to enter such an attic. You risk disturbing the insulation and missing a beam and going through the ceiling.

How long can you run an attic fan?

Generally speaking, an attic fan should run as long as it takes to replace all the attic air with outside air. Usually, this takes roughly 15 minutes. However, you can calculate a much more accurate time by dividing the strength of your fan by the volume of your attic space.

What’s the difference between an attic fan and a whole house fan?

Attic fans are quite different. They’re installed up on a roof or through an exterior wall up in an attic. Whole-house fans need windows and doors open and attic fans need lots of soffit vents to suck cooler outdoor air up into the hot attic. Without this open space, the fans will not move much air.

What is attic ventilation and how does it work?

Attic ventilation works on the principle that heated air naturally rises, primarily utilizing two types of vents: 1 Intake vents, located at the lowest part of the roof under the eaves, allow cool air to enter the attic. 2 Hot air exhaust vents, located at the peak of the roof, allow hot air to escape. More

How much ventilation do I need for my attic?

Taking advantage of this natural process, referred to as passive ventilation, is the most common way to vent an attic. In order to facilitate this exchange of warm and cool air, the general rule of thumb suggests installing at least 1 sq. ft. of vent for every 300 sq. ft. of attic floor.

What are the different types of exhaust vents for attics?

According to Gregory, there are two types of exhaust vents for attics—static and powered. A static vent is basically a hole strategically placed to allow warm air to escape. They include ridge vents, that run along the length of the roof ridge, box-style cap vents, or turbine vents. A powered vent includes a fan.

What is an insulation baffle in an attic?

Rafter vents, or insulation baffles, install in any rafter space to create narrow gaps that direct fresh air from the soffit vents to the peak of the roof. These specialty vents do not affect the finished look inside the remodeled attic.