Frequently Asked Questions for Whole House Fans

Q: How long does it take to complete an installation?

A: Most jobs are completed in approximately 6 hours. In certain circumstances, such as inclement weather, installation may take up to two days, although that is very uncommon.

Q: How can whole house fans be used as a substitute for air conditioning?

A: From working in this industry since the early 90's, I have heard the same account from hundreds of people prior to a fan installation. It usually goes something like this, "In the evening I walk outside and find it's cool and comfortable, but it's still incredibly hot in my home." In the evenings, the outside air in Denver is cool and comfortable 99% of the summer. Imagine replacing the hot, stagnant air trapped in your home and attic with this cool air from outside. Whole house fans are designed specifically for areas like Denver with relatively low humidity. A/C is designed for areas with higher humidity. In addition, if everyone used A/C the power grids in Denver wouldn't be capable of handling that kind of energy demand. Whole house fans do the job of cooling your home and keeping it comfortable for around 10 times less than running A/C, which means they use 10 times less power. Also, our whole house fan systems cool 10 times faster than A/C can.

Q: How many square feet of venting do I have in my house?

A: A typical home has two square feet of total attic ventilation, but each home is different. Contact us and we will gladly give you a free estimate on your home. Our expert advice is always free.

Q: How many windows or doors do I need to open for the fan to work correctly?

A: Basically, you need to match the cumulative size of open windows and doors to the size of the intake fan shutter.
The fan will not work properly if there aren't enough openings from which to draw air. The more openings
to the outdoors the more distributed the breeze from them will be. For this reason, it is possible
to direct the breeze through certain rooms or from the basement. To do this, you simply only open the windows
from which you want to draw the air.

Q: How are the vents installed?

A: In most cases, roof vents are used. They are installed underneath waterproof materials and are completely
weatherproof. See job-site photos for examples. If you have a concrete tile or exotic roof material we evaluate other options for ventilation first, but can ventilate through these exotic materials if needed.

Q: What type of fans are used?

A: We use Triangle Engineering / Dayton fans. These fans are constructed from heavy gauge steel with welded fittings. Cheaper store bought fans use bolted fittings which loosen over time and create excess noise. Our Triangle fans are ruber mounted with sealed fan shaft bearings for a whisper-quiet operation. They have four,deep pitch blades. The fans also have a patented "Auto Belt Tensioning" system which eliminates the need for manual belt adjusting. They have a two-speed, belt-driven, 1/3 or 1/2 horsepower motor. These Triangle fans are the highest grade available on the market which move the most amount of air. Look at some job-site photos for examples, or see the table for technical details.

Q: What do the finished products look like?

A: The shutters are white to match ceilings and their size is roughly 30" x 30", 36" x 36" or 42" x 42" depending on which size fan is appropriate for your home. Vents are installed near the peak of the roof and on the back side of the house. The switches are done to most-closely match your current switches. See the job-site photos for examples. Coming in 2009 CHC will have showroom for our potential customers to come and see, hear and feel our finished products. Contact us to schedule an appointment to visit our showroom.

Q: Are the fans noisy?

A: No. We use only the highest grade shutters, fans and motors available. Also, we specifically engineer the framework of the fan so that the finished product is extremely quiet as well as incredibly strong.

Q: Will the fan pull air from the basement of my home?

A: Absolutely. In fact, this is one of the most highly recommended ways to cool your home. Basements are naturally
cool in summer. By opening only the basement windows, the air will come primarily from there.

Q: What kind of warranty is included with the fan?

A: There is a 10-year warranty on the fan, a lifetime warranty on the vents, a 10-year warranty on labor and a 1 year warranty on the motor. Customer satisfaction is our first priority. Although problems are extremely rare, we will do whatever is necessary to make sure the customer is happy with the finished product.

Q: Do you provide follow up service with the fans if necessary?

A: Yes, although it is very rare that fans need follow up service because the bearings in the fans and motors are sealed and the units are designed to be completely self-sufficient. But we are happy to come back to your home in the event that you have any lingering concerns.

Q: How much do the fans cost to run?

A: Less than 7 cents per hour to run, depending on where you live. Also, the fans only need to operate a few hours a day in the summer to cool the entire home and allow you a great night's sleep.

Q: Can the system be put on an automatic timer to turn the fan on?

A: Technically, yes, but we do not recommend this. In order for the fan to work properly it needs as much area for intake as it uses for exhaust, therefore, it is necessary to be present when starting the home cooling system.
On average, most jobs get a complete house air change in under a few minutes, so the cooling will be felt
immediately once the fan is started. Since the cooling happens immediately, there is really no reason to run
the fan when you aren't home.

Q: What if I want to cool my attic space only?

A: In the case that you want to cool the attic space only, contact us and we'll give you some other options. Also, see our page for Attic Fans.

Q: How much air do the fans move?

A: On high speed, the 30" whole house fan moves 7600 cubic feet per minute (cfm). The 36" moves 9700 cfm on high, and a 42" fan moves 12,600 cfm on high. If your home has 1500 square feet and 8' ceilings, a 30" fan on high speed will give you a complete air change in just over 1 1/2 minutes. A 36" fan would give you a complete air change in just over 1.2 minutes. To calculate cubic feet in your home, multiply the total amount of square feet (not including the basement) by the average ceiling height. Divide this number by 7600 for a 30" fan and by 9700 for a 36" fan. The result is the time in minutes that you will get a complete air change. Another important thing to take into consideration when choosing a fan size is how strong a breeze is desired in your home, since that is a large part of the overall cooling factor.

Q: What are my payment options?

A: We accept credit cards, checks and cash.

Q: Why do many of our customers get fans installed after they have already invested in air conditioning?

A: As mentioned in a previous question, extremely hot air gets trapped in your attic during hot summer days. Through the late afternoon and evening, air conditioning has the chore of battling this heat that is radiating into the home. Because hot air within the home rises to the highest levels and cool air sinks to the lowest levels, air conditioning is fighting a losing battle. Customers relying on A/C alone find that they end up with an extremely hot upper level and extremely cold lower level with a potentially freezing A/C unit. A whole house fan is designed specifically for areas like Denver with relatively low humidity and cooler evenings. A whole house fan is mounted in the attic, which draws fresh and cool outside air in through open doors and windows while forcing the hottest indoor / attic air out of the vents in the attic. This cycle quickly creates comfortable indoor environment, and most importantly, the fan steadily draws heat out of the structure itself so you start the next day with a cool house, delaying or eliminating the need to run air conditioning.

Q: Can I speak to some of your satisfied customers?

A: Yes. Contact us and we'll gladly get you in touch with them. Also, make sure to see the testimonials page on this website. Also, we have a showroom for our potential customers to come and see, hear and feel our finished product. Contact us if you're interested in scheduling an appointment to visit our showroom.


Q: Can I see some technical specifications on the fan regarding size, cfm, and rpm?

A: Yes. Look at the following table.

Q: What is the difference between an attic fan and a whole house fan?

A: Attic Fans and Whole House Fans are very different from one-another. Attic Fans are smaller fans mounted on the roof or gable of your home. They work on a thermostat and help to flush out the hot air trapped in the attic but do not pull air through the living area of the home. These systems are ideal for homes that have existing cooling sytems which need help in cooling the home, or for homes that stay naturally cool with the exception of days where the temperature reaches 100+. Whole house fans move anywhere from 3 to 7 times the amount of air as an attic fan, and have many other benefits as outlined in the See How The Fan Works section of this website.

Q: Is CHC insured?

A: Yes. We have a full liability insurance policy.

Q: Are the whole house fan motors guarded against overheating?

A: Each of our UL listed motors comes with a thermal interrupt, so that in the rare case that the motor might overheat it will automatically shut off. Also, the motors are constructed with sealed ball bearings. Because of this the motors don't require regular oiling and they are maintenance free.