Hot in the Attic!

[patbarton]

I'd been putting this task off, but someone told me that malfunctioning attic fans are a big cause of house fires. My attic fan was trying to start, but pretty much frozen. It would try to start and hummmmmm until it shut off (thermal switch?). You could hear it from the driveway two floors down; sounded like the big street lights humming when they come on.

Crawled through the hot attic last night (why are attic entries always at the WRONG end of the attic??) figuring there would be an on-off switch on the thermostat.

Nope.

Had to go back and get tools to remove and disassemble the thermostat so I could remove and cap off the power wires. A flashlight, backup flashlight (I have been caught in a dark attic alone before), screwdrivers, wire cutters, and a safety tester fill out a lot of pockets. No, I don't have a small tool bag, but it's on my wish list.

Now I have to replace it. Hopefully I will remember everything I need and not have to make a fourth trip up there.

[richfaa]

We have a big roof fan in our Attic. We had it wired to the main fuse box so we could power it on and off.We had one fan fail in 20 years.It is set to come on at 110 degrees . We also have one in the garage roof. They do help. When that thing comes on we can feel the breeze sucking air out.

[gar&lin]

When you to to get your parts make sure you pick up a headlight. Those are the dandiest things. Frees up both hands to get the job done easier. I have several and use them all the time.

[patbarton]

gar&lin,

D-oh! I HAVE one of those! Forgot all about it.

richfaa,

Sorry to say the fan was not the only thing on the circuit (all the security lights are on it, too). Otherwise I would have been able to flip the CB and never work up a sweat...

P.S.... actually I have TWO head lamps. I can put both of them on and save my pockets...

[CamillaMichael]

The nice thing about a trip to the attic (in hot climates) is that it feels so nice and cool in the garage when climbling back down! Take care in the attic...the heat can be lethal.

[DQDick]

X2. Good luck and be careful.

[Hooker]

We had one of those thermostatically controlled fans in our attic when we moved into our house. I took it out and put in four wind turbines scattered around the roof.

[1retired06]

When I worked on ours, we had previously had a company spray additional insulation on top of the rolled stuff, and I did not wear a mask. Coughed and hacked for several days. Attic fans are not a fun project.

[Art-n-Marge]

I DO NOT go into the attic without a mask. If you are hacking and coughing it means you are inhaling whatever is up there. Remember the mesothelia stories? The damage isn't known until much later even if you don't do the work and just "hang around".

It always humors me (we not in a comedic way) that the main guy doing all the work is suited up and oftentimes his helpers aren't.

Do you know what's worse that spraying on the loose stuff on top of the rolled stuff? When it is ALL sprayed on loose stuff. That's what I have in my attic and when working on the attic and trying to move the loose stuff out of the way to run things through the ceiling, it's the worse stuff to work with. It's like trying to move water out of the way to expose the bottom of a tub. I hate working in the attic because of this. The heat doesn't bother me and the crap hanging on to me when I finally get out of there doesn't bother me, but that loose insulation drives me crazy!

Be safe everyone.

[steelpony5555]

Just think of it as a low budget sauna...... People pay lots of money to sweat like that lol lol

[kdeiss]

A little attic fan story about 30 years ago I installed an attic fan some time in the middle of the first night it started to vibrate big time.
So down to the gararge back out the truck to get the step ladder up to the attic to disconnect at term box.

Following day I installed a single pole manual motor overload relay in the hall. Returned fan that one lasted 3 months returned and went to another brand.

[kab449]

Pat:
You are quite the handyman/lady. I can't even get my wife to take out the garbage!

[patbarton]

Keith,

I learned the hard way. My ex broke everything he could before I threw his worthless self out. I'll try anything once, or until I break two fingernails doing it...

[patbarton]

You know, when I had the new roof installed I had them put a ridge vent in... I wonder if I even need a darned fan any more. Should-a asked.

[ALSAN]

Pat, with a full length ridge vent (providing they the roofers opened it up) a fan running on the gable end would pull its air supply from the ridge and not the eves , block the fan opening off ,make sure that you have air flow thru the eves ,you should be able to see daylight from the soffit vents between attic insulation and roof deck( all you need is 3/4 of an inch gap)with the right soffit and ridge system there will be plenty of air flow with out a fan.