Large Scale Central

Question RE solar attic vents for roofing/construction guys

General Discussion
#1

As most of you know my layout is in the garage. In the past I use to simply leave the garage door partly open for the dog, but this summer to keep our newest and most curious porch cats from making their home on top of the pizza layout I have been leaving the door down. The trouble is now its getting very very warm inside and staying very very warm 24/7. Its now becoming very uncomfortable to work out there. I think I need to find some way to flush the hot air out. I am considering one of these:

But I am loath to cutting into my roof, instead of cutting it thru the roof, I am considering mounting on the rear gable wall of the garage, protected up high under the roof eave. Its orientation means it would only operate from noon till sunset but thats when its most needed.

My question is, can these be mounted vertically on a wall face? Surface is T1-11 Plywood.

As near as I can tell the inner fan and housing tube are identical to the models they market as Gable Vent Fans, which are mounted vertically.

Thanks, and no to nixing the kittehs, we like our puddytats.

#2

Vic Smith said:

My question is, can these be mounted vertically on a wall face? Surface is T1-11 Plywood.

As near as I can tell the inner fan and housing tube are identical to the models they market as Gable Vent Fans, which are mounted vertically.

As long as the solar array gets plenty of sun, sure, why not? It’s just a fan, it’ll work vertically or horizontally.

#3

Or you could go this way Vic. Just one of many available

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fresh-Air-Screens-10-ft-x-8-ft-Garage-Door-Screen-No-Zippers-1231-A-108/202898594?cm_mmc=shopping--googleads--pla-_-202898594&ci_sku=202898594&ci_gpa=pla&ci_src=17588969

#4

You should be fine Vic. We have one on our roof. I love it, its super quiet. Ours is on the roof though. I see know reason why it wont work your way.

#5

You might consider removing the solar panel, adding a bit of feed wire and putting the collector on top of the roof for additional power and run time.

#6

Thanks thats what I figured too. I am currently trying out a low tech solution. I took the glazing out of two of the window inserts in the garage door. Its helping alot but were having mild weather right now. Triple digits expected next week I’ll just have to see how effective this is next week.

I would have bought the attic fan but the only one they have at my local Home Depot was in a wide open crushed box bereft of all instructions thermostat hardware etc …and they still wanted full price. I asked when would they get one in a sealed box the guy looked bewildered and said not till they sold that one …When I pointed out the fan looked like something you’d find for sale at a garage sale and would they discount it for being wide open he said it was still considered NIB to them, starting to dislike Home Depot grrr.

So I am looking online right now …

#7

You might have an issue if your heat waves are not vertically polarized.

Seriously, get the manager of the HD store out there, they will discount it.

You must have been talking to a drone. I buy at HD all the time, bought a huge 4 cylinder air compressor for 1/2 price because it sat there in a pallet for 6 months, nothing wrong with it at all.

Greg

#8

That’s ok Greg, I’ll take a sealed box …we took that loose one out to test it and it woulnt budge. Droneployee didnt seam to give a hoot.

#9

Be sure to email HD corporate about how you were treated, and how you will go to Lowes from now on to be treated better.

Droneployee will not be there next time you visit. Trust me.

HD is getting killed by nicer, more knowledgeable Lowes people. They are finding it’s not price alone. You bring this up now and it will be fixed.

Greg

#10

Yea, I prefer Lowe’s too. Of course my having a Lowe’s 4 blocks from my house doesn’t hurt. But some things Lowe’s doesn’t carry that the Home Depot does carry. For those items, I will begrudgingly drive the extra 30 minutes, and deal with the drones, to get it.

#11

Lowe’s is a slight step above HD, employees are friendlier, I’m not convinced they are any more knowledgeable thou…

#12

Phil, not some of them. I went looking for a torsion spring form my garage door. The Lowe’s employee took me to the garage door springs. I said “these are all tension springs. I need a torsion spring”. He replied “I don’t know what that is.”

#13

Hi

Have you thought of getting one of these?

http://www.harborfreight.com/double-garage-door-screen-68310.html

#14

Vic: an alternate would be to run 120 V to it and but in a switch. run it when needed. I wanted to install an attic fan for much the same reason but the end would have required way more work than I wanted to do so it did not get done.

Paul

#15

Phil Anastasia said:

Lowe’s is a slight step above HD, employees are friendlier, I’m not convinced they are any more knowledgeable thou…

I dunno about that…

I said “Band saw blades, 93.5”, bi-metal. please"

What brand?

I don’t know yet, I’d like to compare.

Oh

As I walked the aisle, I noticed tools were grouped by brand, not tools. Madness.

I left.

#16

Paul, I ran a 120v line to my attic for the Fios box, and then he wanted to plug it in inside the garage. I forgot I had that box up there. Oh, this opens up some possibilities to ventilate the shop

#17

John Caughey said:

As I walked the aisle, I noticed tools were grouped by brand, not tools. Madness.

I left.

Being in the Hardware Profession, this is something dictated by the manufactuers, not the store policy part of their marketing agreement…

#18

E. Paul Austin said:

Vic: an alternate would be to run 120 V to it and but in a switch. run it when needed. I wanted to install an attic fan for much the same reason but the end would have required way more work than I wanted to do so it did not get done.

Paul

The main reason I want a solar fan is that the heat here is worst in the late afternoon, I want the fan to automatically flush out the hot air build-up during the worse part of the day.

RE: Droneployees at HD, I dont envy their job, and the one I had wasn’t like being rude, he was friendly and helpful but he said it was just store policy and out of his hands, he gave me the impression that this one of many silly policies he had to inform a customer about, hence his “meh, its out of my hands” attitude. He also thought it was silly given the box condition.

I’ll check out Lowes, I prefer OSH they have the best staff, but also the most limited selection, but no attic fans.

#19

One of my gang around here has two cats, and lets them out into the garage, but he has this thing he built, which fits under the garage door. The door comes down on it. It is about 2 feet high, and the width of the door. It is built with sturdy framing, and a screening. This allows the cats to see out, at ground level; keeping the bugs out, and allowing the air to come in.

All you need do, is open a window, which is higher than the bottom of the door, and you will get natural circulation of air.

The cats are safe, and the door can be secured…to prevent intrusion.

Check with Paul Norton, on our web page at: www.ovgrs.org he may have pictures…

#20

Nice to hear he was not rude, but surprised that he did not offer to get the manager, the manager can price match and mark down virtually anything they want to.

Hmm, “cat viewing window”… good idea.

Greg