But when the fan isn t working the way it should follow these steps to troubleshoot the problem.
My attic fan not working.
If your ac system is in your attic your situation is quite different.
However they are not an effective ventilation mechanism and it can get really hot in the attic during summer.
If the attic fan isn t turning on it could be an electrical issue a problem with the thermostat or the motor of the fan that s not working.
If the attic fan is plugged into an outlet use a voltmeter to make sure that the outlet is working.
The extreme temperatures in your attic are always working against your hvac system making it work extra hard to perform properly.
How to troubleshoot a whole house fan.
Fan motor runs but not the blades.
Attic ventilation fans help cool air your attic by pushing out the stifling hot air from inside the attic and bringing in cool air from outside.
This will indeed help reduce the temperature in the attic but only marginally unless the incoming air from outside is substantially colder not likely in the summer till nightfall you also.
Your attic fan may not be turning on because of an electrical problem like a tripped circuit breaker a blown fuse or a bad connection.
An important control element of this home appliance is the thermostat.
Electricity to fan not working.
Much of the time if the issue is electric it can be rewired and fixed.
It helps to cool your home temperatures and the attic by approximately 30 degrees.
If the motor is working but the fan blades are not moving the problem may be the belt.
How does an attic fan work.
The warm air escapes through the attic and to the attic vents allowing the circulation of chilly air from the windows.
The whole house fan is installed inside the attic between the living space and ceiling.
A mechanical fan working in an attic space equipped with adequate ventilation openings can move hot air out and increase the flow of air through the attic.
The attic is usually built with vents that are designed for ventilation purposes.
You may need to replace a circuit breaker an electrical outlet or one of the wire connections.
Before calling in a pro to fix the fan check that the problem is not from the wiring as there may simply be a short along the circuit or another issue that is not in the attic fan itself.
By pulling in cooler air a whole house fan reduces or eliminates the need for air conditioning.
Whole house fans work on the principle of removing the hot and humid air out of the house.
How to test an attic fan motor and thermostat.
Adding an attic fan may help to lower the ambient temperature in the attic but it s not an ideal solution.
An effective solution to the problem is to install an attic fan.
Best of all whole house fans use only one tenth of the energy that air conditioning does.
Otherwise you may need to replace your motor.