Introduction
Before you select a whole-house fan, plan the overall venting of your house. The fan should pull air through open windows and doors on the lower floors and out through vents in the attic, eaves, and gables. Without adequate openings below and above the fan, it will not be able to do its job. Leave at least 2 feet of clearance between the fan and any obstructions. If you stack your attic with boxes, the fan may not have room to breathe, which will make it noisy as well as inefficient. Installation is not as difficult as you may think: The fan sits on top of joists in the attic, so cutting and reframing aren't necessary.
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1. Establish a location
Find a spot for the fan--the top-floor hallway ceiling is the usual place. Measure from a point common to the hall and the attic, choose a location for the fan, and clear away the insulation. Beside the joists, drill locator holes for cutting away the drywall or plaster. From below, cut a hole in the ceiling. Don't cut any joists.
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Locating the fan
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2. Install the fan
Set the fan on top of the joists, directly above the ceiling hole. Secure it by driving screws into the joists. Fasten it down tight so it cannot vibrate. Install the plastic baffles provided with the fan. They seal the cavities between the joists.
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3. Install the louver panel
From below, tip the louver panel in place so it covers the entire hole. Attach it to the ceiling by driving screws up into the joists. The louver is lightly spring-loaded, so it stays shut when the fan is not in use but opens when the fan is switched on.
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4. Make the electrical connections
Run power up into a switch then to the fan (see Installing Boxes in Finished Space, Running Cable For Ceiling Fistures, and Wiring Ceiling Fixtures With Seperate Switches, Related Projects). Consider installing a timer switch so you can have the fan run during those times of the day when it is most needed.
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