Do you do free estimates and how does this process work?
Yes, but let me explain how we like to do the estimating process. As you know we are a small business and to reduce unnecessary sales and travel costs we take a slightly different approach. Over the phone we will gather as many details as we can regarding you house and estimate a base price that covers the basic fan install and the first hour of time to install the fan. If this is a brand new whole house fan install in an existing house you should plan on the possibility that it will take 2-3 extra hours that are added to the estimate. We will give you a price range and consider this our ball park over the phone estimate. If you feel this estimate is in your budget, we will proceed with the installation scheduling. At the time we arrive our installer will confirm the estimate based on his final onsite assessment. He will clearly communicate if there needs to be any changes to the estimate. If we encounter something that drastically changes the estimate and you no longer want to proceed….we understand and appreciated the opportunity. At no point prior to installation do we consider you legally committed to the installation & sale. This has generally been a business process that has worked well for us.
What is the deal…are these called attic fans or are these called whole house fans?
Great Question. Kind of both, but technically the only thing Kansas City Attic Fans sells are whole house fans. Attic fans are typically smaller fans mounted in the attic that only keep you attic cooler. Whole house fans draw air through the windows and cool both the living space and the attic in the same process. Many if not most people have learned to call whole house fans by the incorrect name of attic fans. It is not my goal in life to try and correct people of this. I am going to go with the flow and embrace this incorrect terminology since there are benefits to us with recognition of what we do and also so we can be found on the internet. You may notice that I will use these 2 terms interchangeably.
Are Attic Fans or Whole House Fans a good choice with the Kansas City weather?
This is a matter of opinion. It is true that we are not blessed with the perfect weather conditions like they have in San Diego. Then again our average home is not a million dollars either. People in San Diego can easily cool their home with a whole house fan alone. I am not going to try and convince you that you can run an attic fan on a blistering 100 degree August day. However, there are many days in the fall, spring & early summer where attic fans are great with the Kansas City Climate.
If you are a builder or are building your own home, what do you need to do to prepare for an attic fan?
Definitely address this early. Don’t wait until your house is complete or nearly complete. It can be done for much less money if part of the original plan. Even if you don’t install the fan right away, if you ask for it to be setup for one that will be greatly helpful. The problem is because you may end up with lights, electrical, ductwork, framing, etc. that could potentially be in the way of your ideal installation spot and all that would have to be addressed later. The main thing you need to ask for is to have in roughed in for the correct fan and shutter size and also have it pre-wired.
If I had a propane or natural gas leak would a whole house fan be a good way to clear the house of gas?
Although this sounds like a great idea & certainly would to the job quickly…I would not recommend this with a 10ft pole. The major risk here is that the gas could be concentrated enough in the air to ignite as it passed by the attic fans electrical motor. If you have a gas leak you should not use any types of electrical devices. Now any other odors such as a burnt dinner, seafood cooking, pet smells, smokers in the house, etc….an attic fan works magnificently for clearing this out in no time.
How loud are your fans?
Our belt drive fans are constructed to be some of the quietest in the industry. The larger the fan, the lower the pitch, the quieter it runs. On the high speed it should run at approximately 46 decibels. On the low speed even much more quieter. You can easily have a quiet conversation with somebody even when standing directly under the fan while operating on the high speed. A few comparative db items listed below
70 dBA Level close to a main road by day, quiet hair dryer at 1 m distance to ear
60 dBA Noisy lawn mower at 10 m distance
55 dBA Low volume of radio or TV at 1 m distance, noisy vacuum cleaner at
10 m distance
50 dBA Refrigerator at 1 m distance, bird twitter outside at 15 m distance
45 dBA Noise of normal living; talking, or radio in the background
35 dBA Very quiet room fan at low speed at 1 m distance
Can I install a Speed Control?
No, the standard motors provided in these fans are not suitable speed controls. This will damage the motor and void the warranty.
Can I install a Thermostat?
Yes, only if it is simply an off/on operation. However, if it varies the amount of voltage delivered, it will damage the motor and void the warranty.
Can I install it Vertically?
The fan can be installed vertically, however we do not have a residential shutter available for a vertical installation.
Why do you have Rectangle Shutters?
Many customers prefer rectangle shutter as these will better suit their hallways. However the closer the shutter is to square the better the air flow.
Should I get a Regular or a No Cut Joist Shutter?
The regular shutter will be better for air flow, however this is not practical for some installations. Check the building codes in your area (some do not allow the joist to be cut).
How much room between the blade and the roof do I need?
You need at least 1.5 times the blade diameter between the blade and any obstruction. Example: 30″dia blade……45″distance
Can I change my motor to a Higher Horsepower?
No, our blades are designed specifically for the horsepower motor provided. To change hp you will need to change blade, pulleys, motor and belt. You will also need to recalculate your exhaust area. Of course, if you are buying a new fan and choosing to go with a higher hp motor everything will be already setup for you.
What Fans & HP motors do you stock for the Triangle Comfort Cooler Whole Fans?
Although Triangle Engineering offers more whole house fan selections, Kansas City Attic Fans only offers the below. This is in response to what most customers request. If you want a different size or hp fan we can work with you to special order this.
CC3022, 30″ Fan with 1/3 hp motor – CC3622, 36″ fan with 1/3 hp motor – CC4223, 42″ fan with 1/2 hp motor
What is a whole house fan and how does it work?
A whole house fan is a large fan mounted in the ceiling of your house. It is used to pull cold air from the outside through the windows and then through the house and discharge hot air through the attic. It is usually best to locate them in the center of the house. An important requirement is to have your attic ventilation matching with the performance of the fan. Whole house fans are often incorrectly referred to as an attic fans. A true attic fan is generally a smaller fan that only discharges hot air from the attic and does not pull air through windows and the livable space. However since so many people particularly in the Kansas City area refer to whole house fans as attic fans….we decided to use that as part of our name.
How much does a whole house fan cost to operate and how much money will I save?
This is a complicated question to answer with multiple factors. A whole house fan will operate at 1/10th the cost of an average air conditioner. Of course with will vary with the efficiency and size of your air conditioner. It will be highly dependent on how much you use the attic fan. Most customers who are aware of the weather conditions and use them at the proper times will see a significant savings.