Repairing an Attic or Whole House Fan
Many homes in the past were built with attic fans, especially homes in the north. These fans make an excellent alternative to air conditioning, and they will help to keep the air fresh. In cooler climates, they work well at cooling the home. Problems with these fans are usually found in the electrical outlet, belt, thermostat, or motor.
Items Needed
- Screwdriver - look at the screws to see which type you need
- Extension cord
- Electric lights
- Voltage sensor
- Flashlight (optional)
Instructions
- Find the problem. First plug the fan into the extension cord (using a different outlet) to see if it works. If it does, then you will need to replace the original outlet that the fan was plugged into. If this does not fix your problem, check the thermostat. Some fans have an on and off switch. If it will come on when you turn it on, the odds are the thermostat has gone bad. If it doesn't come on, you probably have a motor that has gone out. In this case, you would want to buy a new fan and install.
- If you have purchased this fan in the last few years, check your warranty. Different manufacturers offer different types of warranties, and it's possible that yours would cover the replacement parts.
- Once you know what the problem is, you can get the replacement parts. Check on the price of a new fan as well. If the replacement parts cost as much as buying a new fan, you might want to do that instead of repairing the old one.
- Before making any repairs, turn off the power to your entire house. Follow the directions for replacing the parts. If the problem with the fan lies in the electrical outlet, it's not recommended to do this repair yourself. Contact an electrician to fix the outlet.