We chose QuietCool’s Smart Gable Mount Attic Fan as our top overall pick because it’s easy to install and control, thanks to a convenient mobile app. Here are the best attic fans. QuietCool’s Smart Gable Mount Attic Fan is our top pick for its ease of use, simple installation, and maximum energy efficiency. The Smart model is a gable mount, meaning it simply mounts, plugs in with its attached 20-foot power cord, and it’s ready to go. This model can efficiently ventilate spaces up to 4,800 square feet. The unit features a variable-speed ECM motor (electronically communicated motor) and a convenient, built-in thermostat and humidistat, both which self adjust depending on the temperature and humidity of your attic. When your attic is at its hottest, the fan can run at speeds up to 3,000 cubic feet per minute while only using 140 watts of power, which is very low compared to other models. As the attic cools, the smart fan will automatically cycle down to lower speeds (the lowest being 1,000 CFM which only uses 15 watts of energy) resulting in a cheaper air conditioning bill and cooler home temperature (temperatures can drop as much as 50 degrees.) These two factors make it an excellent energy and cost saver. Price at time of publish: $269 All those factors combined, you get a great, affordable unit that can be used in more than just your home; the iLiving Exhaust Fan is also equipped for use in commercial buildings, restaurants, factories, and warehouses. Its motor is enclosed and thermally protected and permanently lubricated. It’s also conveniently ready to use straight out of the box with the only installation requirement being the electrical hardwiring. Price at time of publish: $110 While this fan does not ventilate hazardous chemicals or fumes, it is best suited to properties with heavy dust, odors, allergens, and humidity. It has automatic shutters that open and close and is powered by a thermally protected PSC motor, making it extremely powerful. It comes with pre-drilled holes for easy mounting and because it is OSHA compliant, it includes a safety grille and fully enclosed motor. Price at time of publish: $320 When there’s sunlight the fan runs on solar, and when there’s not, it switches to AC power so you get daily cooling regardless of daylight. This fan and solar panel are easy to mount to your gable vent and it also includes mounting tabs to install the solar panel to either the side of your home or roof. Designed for attic spaces up to 2,088 square feet, Master Flow’s unit can remove a large volume of hot air at a rate of 1,500 CFM. This unit uses 15 percent less electricity than other competing models and it can easily help bring down the cost of heating and cooling your home. The unit features a heavy duty internal screen to prevent animal infestation. Although this system does not include a humidistat, a small device that helps monitor and maintain preferred humidity in the air and track you moisture level, you can purchase it separately as an add on. Price at time of publish: $165 This unit comes in three different models each varying in size and capacity. The 355BK model, which we think is the best of the three, is able to remove hot air at an impressive 1,200 CFM in spaces up to 1,715 square feet. It features a built-in, adjustable thermostat that can control temperature and the speed of the thermally lubricated motor. This covered unit is great for consumers in extreme climates. The unit’s built-in PSC motor is highly durable and features two-speed technology (high/low). This model is super quiet due to its four-blade assembly which allows it to maintain precise, balanced rotation and lower vibration. The fan is able to accommodate anywhere from 1,200 to 1,800 square feet of attic space. It’s perfect for reducing cooling costs as it pulls fresh air from outside and expels warm attic air out through the exhaust vents. We like Air Vent’s Electric Gable Vent Fan because it’s 30 percent quieter and 35 percent more energy efficient than other comparable gable-mounted units. Most gable fans have a cylindrical shape, whereas this unit is encased in a patented series of rings which allow the motor to move air more efficiently. The Air Vent unit measures 15 inches in diameter and it’s outfitted with six blades which measure 14 inches in diameter. Air Vent’s unit can effectively ventilate spaces up to 1,900 square feet and move air at 1320 CFM. It’s electric powered and uses a thermostat and humidistat to control temperature and prevent moisture buildup. Price at time of publish: $106 Ideally, the attic will be relatively sealed off from the rest of the home, allowing an attic fan to work efficiently and pull hot air out of the space, exchanging it for cool air from outdoors. Similarly, in the winter the fan draws cool air in and pumps hot air out for the purpose of equalizing the temperature between the attic and the outdoors in order to prevent ice dams that can occur when the snow comes into contact with a warm roof and melts. The melted water runs into the freezing cold gutter system and quickly turns to ice, but an attic fan can help avoid this problem entirely.
Air Volume and Attic Space
Air volume is measure in cubic feet per minute (CFM) and is typically used to determine the power of a fan. The more powerful the fan, the higher the CFM, allowing the fan to push a greater volume of air out of the attic space. However, having the highest air volume possible isn’t necessary. You need to find a fan with an air volume rating that is appropriate for the size of the space. Consider the size of the attic and take basic measurements of the length, width, and height of the room in order to estimate the volume of air within the attic. A fan will usually run for about 15 minutes to clear the air, so the CFM for an attic fan needs to be high enough to remove all of the air from the attic within this time frame. However, if the fan is too powerful, it will begin to pull air from the rest of the home, reducing the efficiency of the heating and cooling system. A fan that isn’t powerful enough will have minimal effect on the heat within the attic. Take the time to measure properly and select your attic fan carefully.
Material
An attic fan is going to be placed in one of the most remote parts of the home and will likely be left untouched for months or even years, so it’s necessary to ensure that the attic fan is made of tough, durable materials that can stand up to excessive heat, freezing cold, and airborne moisture. Some attic fans are made with plastic components that can be susceptible to both high and low temperature extremes, despite having superior resistance to moisture. Due to this vulnerability, most attic fans are made of galvanized or painted steel because these materials have no problem withstanding the blazing heat of summer or the frigid temperatures in winter. As long as the protective surface of the metal isn’t damaged, these materials also hold up well in rain, sleet, ice, and snow.
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Additional research for this article is provided by Timothy Dale, a long-time home improvement expert specializing plumbing, construction, and product recommendations, among other topics. Alternatively, some attic fans can be powered by solar panels, though these kits are more difficult to install. Keep in mind that while some experienced DIYers may be able to handle this installation, it’s a task that is usually better left to professionals.
