power attic vent fans

[kingjason]

My ac guy was old and super wise. He used a small electric motor with a 4 piece hose thingy strapped to the outlet. The four hoses were then ran up about 6-8 inch away from 4 16 in turbines at varying locations on the roof. I think it fired on at 135 or so. It is a fact it lowered my electric bill and at 78 it would run you out. He said it lowers the humidity in your house thus it needed to be less cool to be comfortable.

[fordracing19]

Allow me to retort... Roofers don't like powered vent fans because they are lazy. They don't like to deal with the electrical. Hell, most roofers use a fucking claw hammer to open holes in decking. The fact is people will see savings on their electrical bills. Lastly, with proper installation and correct t-stat settings, powered fans will last many years.

Like this? Lazy ass roofers.

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[Samhain]

Sources?

First, the engineering degree on my office wall. Second would be all the people in here testifying they saw noticeably lower energy bills. I don't argue one vent over another, I preach sufficient ventilation.
And Mike, if my claw hammer reference offended you personally, well that would be telling of your work

[kidcapri]

Truth be known......the turbines SUCK and so do the power vents. The power vents suck because they break down and the simple fact that they use POWER to operate.

The turbines suck because they are VERY ugly and make your house look like shit and they also have the tendency to fail because they are very seldom installed properly. If they are not adjusted properly the CHEAP bearings in the turbine fail because the unit is not balanced. Once the bearings fail then the turbine no longer spins which is the only way the unit keeps driving rain from entering it. At that point it becomes a box vent except it willl leak.

Ones of the biggest problems with both of the vents in question is that they are not used properly most of the time. How many times have you seen both of these vents installed in ADDITION to one another or along side multiple box vents or ridge vent? I would be willing to bet that many of you have exactly what I just described on your own roof. When this is done it takes away the efficiency of each vent involved beause they start working against one another.

Venting your attic is all about having a BALANCED system.............................

INTAKE VS EXHAUST

[ceyko]

Yeah, it's easy to screw up venting if you're thinking more is better - especially with powered vents at the top.

I will say those roofs with the ridge vents up top seem really nice to me. As I mentioned earlier, one of the reasons I won't do a whirlybird is due to appearance. Probably won't need either with one of those roofs, which is a win-win to me.

I concur on the solar fans - but I'd argue that the electricity usage of a powered fan is minimal per month compared...no I wont. Depends on the house. My old house was jacked by having a 2nd story interior door directly to the attic. No matter how many seals and what I did it failed. Keeps as much hot air going out the vent was all air not coming in the door.

[mikec]

First, the engineering degree on my office wall. Second would be all the people in here testifying they saw noticeably lower energy bills. I don't argue one vent over another, I preach sufficient ventilation.
And Mike, if my claw hammer reference offended you personally, well that would be telling of your work

Well, it didn't, so sorry to burst your bubble.

As for this debate, no one is going to win it as it depends on the application, and the cfm's coming and going.

In general practice the turbines do work better. If you guys are having people do work for you in which they use hammers to break the decking, install vents incorrectly, etc, that's your bad. My guys don't even try that crap because they know it won't fly.

[Vertnut]

Tons of variables in this debate. I don't want (or need) any powered device on my roof. If a house is built properly, turbines aren't needed. Existing homes (especially older without radiant barrier or proper venting) may benefit. Eventually, they become a maintenance and/or noise issue.

By the way, my son-in-law in a brilliant mechanical engineer (was the valedictorian of his class), but he consults with ME (an old builder) before he does a damn thing to his house. Experience counts for something.

[kidcapri]

WOW!!!!!! I can't grasp the idea of not one of you guys wanting to argue about something I said in my post...........what is happening to this world we live in?

[Samhain]

Well, it didn't, so sorry to burst your bubble.

As for this debate, no one is going to win it as it depends on the application, and the cfm's coming and going.

In general practice the turbines do work better. If you guys are having people do work for you in which they use hammers to break the decking, install vents incorrectly, etc, that's your bad. My guys don't even try that crap because they know it won't fly.

Mike that was only a shot if that's the kind of work you do. I thought that I was clear. We're saying the same thing differently about air movement.

[ceyko]

Tons of variables in this debate. I don't want (or need) any powered device on my roof. If a house is built properly, turbines aren't needed. Existing homes (especially older without radiant barrier or proper venting) may benefit. Eventually, they become a maintenance and/or noise issue.

By the way, my son-in-law in a brilliant mechanical engineer (was the valedictorian of his class), but he consults with ME (an old builder) before he does a damn thing to his house. Experience counts for something.

My Dad is a home builder as well in PA and I do the same thing. I'd be a fool not to.

Although, IMO - the non-custom home builders these days generally have crap for results. In case you have not noticed, the development homes are lucky not to be leaning - much-less be ventilated properly (unless you mean allowing 10mph winds right through the house)...etc.

"These days" to me are in the last 10-15 years

[lincolnboy]

I belong to the whirly bird camp. Powered vents use electricity to run, which is what you are trying to save. Therefore, if a whirly bird and a powered one are moving the exact same amount of air, the whirly bird will provide a better net effect. Besides, cooling the attic is like cooling the outside of a Coleman cooler. Better insulation, window shades or tint, better door weatherstripping, etc. are better ways to lower your electric bill.

We have these types of threads every summer and the same arguments are made. Kinda funny now.

X2............. how many times will these electric vent turn on daily. Fiqure how many you have and how big, i image alot of surge being drawn to start the e-vent.

[FastFox]

Another way to help vent your attic will not cost a cent, and you will not believe how well it works. If you have a scuttle hole in your garage, open it up and stand on a ladder in the hole and feel the upward draft. If you have roof vents or turbines they will move more air. ( Remember taking off the air cleaner on your car ?) If you have a pull down stairway, just leave it partially open. If you just have a scuttle hole, build a frame the size of the hole and cover it with 1/4" screen wire. Pretty cheap fix.