We have 2 gable vents in our roof (approx 2' high or so), one at either end, and upon inspection it does not appear that there is really enough overhang in the roof for soffits. I still have to inspect it closer from the outside, but they are for sure not installed at this time. The roof is also slate, so going in through that is not really an option we'd like to pursue. If we install a attic gable fan on one end, will there be enough air flow through the attic to make this project worth our while in terms of heating/cooling costs, or should we go another route?
Is installing a gable fan worth the investment
roofsoffitvent
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Best Answer
I can tell you from experience in my house a slate roofed colonial, it will make a difference. Even with the fan mounted in an attic window that is that is 3 inches off the floor of my walk-up attic the temperature drop in the attic was 30 degrees.Most fans will have a spec sheet telling how many square inches of ventilation opening they require. It is important to remember that you are calculating square inches of unimpeded opening so subtract for louvers and other obstructions. In my case I have a large peak where hot air tends to get trapped. If we have several days of very sunny and hot weather I place a small table fan on the attic floor. With the small fan pointing up it circulates the air to remove the hottest air trapped at the ridge.