Turn the attic fan off and unplug the motor from the thermostat.
How to tell attic fan is going bad.
Many homeowners hear about attic fans installed by friends and neighbors and want to know if an attic fan is a good idea or just a waste of money.
However the utility of attic ventilation fans is actually quite a controversial topic.
If the fan turns on the motor is still good.
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.
Just like a bathroom exhaust fan attic fans direct accumulated hot air out while bringing in cool air from outside.
Step 2 test the thermostat.
I don t know why so many people are so defensive about power attic ventilators but here are a few of the things they ve said to me in the comments.
Let s discuss the primary concern homeowners have about attic fan installation.
The downside of attic ventilation fans.
Step 1 test the fan motor.
In short are attic fans good or bad.
Good insulation reduces fan effectiveness.
Click here for a video tutorial.
If you suspect the fan motor is bad the first thing you should check is the power to.
Before you start make sure the thermostat is set to cool and that the temperature setting is as low as it will go.
There is an automatic monitoring mechanism for the attic fan that switches it on or off according to the internal temperature.
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.
Once done test that the motor still works by plugging the motor into an extension cord that is connected to an outlet.
They are more powerful than bathroom exhaust fans and clear out a greater volume of air.
Three years ago i wrote an article titled don t let your attic suck power attic ventilators are a bad idea nearly a hundred thousand page views and 93 comments later it s still generating lots of heat.