Cost to Install an Attic Fan
An attic fan improves ventilation in a house now and for years to come. Find the cost to install an attic fan yourself compared with how much the job costs to hire an electrician. Enter your ZIP Code to adjust the cost to where you live.
Limit the use of expensive air conditioning to those dog days of summer and consider installing an attic fan to cool down the house when it's not so hot. An attic or whole-house fan are designed to work best in the evening when temperatures are at their coolest. Open windows and turn on the fan so that it draws in cool, fresh air and forces it out through attic vents and by morning you'll be reaching for a blanket. An electrician charges $556 to install a direct-drive attic fan that cools a typical 1,500-square-foot house. A homeowner with electrical and carpentry skills can buy one for $155 and install it, cutting the cost by 72 percent. The project involves some major work: cutting an opening in the ceiling, installing the unit in the opening, hooking up the wires and then adding the louvered cover panel.
Follow the fan manufacturer's directions about wiring the unit into your home's electrical system and to any switches or controls you choose. For the easiest installation, choose a direct-drive unit that's designed to fit over the attic floor joists so that you don't have to cut into them. You'll find these units sold at home centers and lumberyards. At www.airvent.com in the Homeowners section you'll find advice to help you evaluate what type of fan you need and downloadable instructions.
National Average Cost
to
Install an Attic Fan
Hours
- Pro
- DIY
- 6.98
- 10
Money
- Pro
- DIY
- $556
- $155
DIY
Home Hints & TipsRelated Articles
Poll Results
- DIY
34% - PRO
66%