skip to main content

Heating & Air Conditioning

Whole house fan in home next to freeway?

16 years ago

I'm building a duplex RIGHT NEXT TO THE FREEWAY in Honolulu, Hawaii. The home will have split air conditioning (likely Fujitsu's Inverter product) but I wanted to explore the possibility of installing a whole-house fan for both units. The home will be split level and will not have an attic space. Would it be possible to install a through-the-wall type system that could operate and still insulate the interior from exterior traffic noise?

The idea is that on cooler dryer days, I won't need to run the a/c. I could just turn on the whole house fan and remove/introduce new air into the home without opening any windows (which would be very noisy). Problem is that traffic noise would likely enter from the area open to allow air into and out of the unit. Is there anyway to resolve this? Maybe run a pipe a certain distance that can help reduce the noise? Maybe there is technology out there that can reduce the exterior noise from entering the interior even while the fan is running? It's a long shot but worth trying. Thanks in advance for any help.

Sort by:Oldest

Comment (1)

energy_rater_la
16 years ago
I'll give this a shot although I am no expert with whole house fans.

If you set the fan to blow air into the house you will be pulling in humidity, noise & exhaust fumes into the space you live in/
If the windows are unopened when you turn this fan on this will create a positive pressure on your home that far exceeds the positive pressure we design for in a healthy home.

If you set the fan to remove air from the house with windows closed the effect will be a negative pressure with make up air entering through any unsealed holes in your home. This would not be a good thing either.

If you set the fan to remove air with windows open
(which is the way the one house I lived in as a kid with whole house fan) it is comfortable when temps are mild
and negative pressure is not an issue as makeup air is entering through the larger unsealed holes..in this case your open windows.
The down side again is the amount of humidity that will enter your home.

La. isn't much like Hawaii (unfortunately for me...) but humidity is a big issue here. Adding more humidity to your home on these mild days will add to the humdity load that the air conditioning will have to remove.

I don't know of any way offhand to insulate a whole house fan for noise..and I wonder what the insulation value on one of these fans would be in relation to the rest of the insulated wall....

I'll turn it over to the pros now...

Best of luck & aloha!
Related Discussions
Whole House Fans with Blown Insulation ?
Q
Comments (1)
Had a similar situation arise with a customer that puchased a whole house fan without considering the blown insulation factor. Over time blown insulation settles and a sort of mat forms over the top, moisture from humididty causes it to bind somewhat together. To be on the safe side I recommended that he duct the air well above the insulation line where it could diffuse causing the least amount of turbulence. This was done with a simple straight duct terminating about 2' above the insulation. However, he had ALOT of attic space which helped as well. There are manufacutered "inline" whole house fans wherein there are several intake ports for more than one area intake and one main exhaust that can be ducted to a particular location. Or a free air fan could be ducted as well as far as that goes. But Florida! I'm from northern Michigan, but I've been down there enough times to know that it's hot - and humid. I'm thinking that there are few instances where the air down there wouldn't be water laden enough to make it very undesirable to drag inside with you. You'll have to ask some Floridians about that one!
...See More
turbulence in home made whole house fan.
Q
Comments (6)
Iv been looking at whole house fans and would like to replace my old blower with a more efficient one like this after realizing how much power it consumes thanks to zl700. http://www.atrendyhome.com/qcwhhofan.html?productid=qcwhhofan&channelid=FROOG Since I have the grill and flex already installed all I need would be a fan and damper set up. Can anyone recommend where I could buy one? Or what specifications I should look for? Also.. Is my guess at 1600 to 2000 cfm for my old blower close since a 4 ton AC used to be with it? Thanks
...See More
Whole house fan - solution that does not require opening windows?
Q
Comments (22)
"Next thing we knew the house started smelling like soot! The fan was actually drawing the air down through the chimney to replace the air drawn out." This is known as back drafting. This is dangerous situation if you have a gas fired hot water heater or furnace within the living space. You could be pulling carbon monoxide gases without realizing it. People living in houses with no AC tend to keep the windows open throughout the summer. It was rare a whole house fan would be turned on with the windows closed. But in a house where there is AC, the windows will be closed when the AC is operating. There is a greater chance of turn on the fan without opening the windows. For safety reasons I suggest the switch for the whole house fan be placed out of reach of children. I also think it is a good idea to use a timer switch in case the fan is left on and someone closes the windows.
...See More
Whole house fan vs attic fan
Q
Comments (3)
"We have no vents in place leading from the attic to the second floor" The whole house fan would go in the attic and draw air from the second floor. Our fan draws air from the hallway centrally located on the second floor but there are options for fans in each room. The installer would determine whether you need more attic venting to the outside of the house. We have a 2700 cfm whole house fan and LOVE it. When it cools down in the evening we open the windows on our 2nd floor and turn the fan on. It's amazing how fast is cools the home. Since the whole house fan vents to the attic it also turns the air over in the attic helping to cool the attic. We have been very happy with our whole house fan. There are some things to consider though. I've read comments from experts on here about fire hazards due to the suction from the fan. I believe this is primarily a concern for those with water heaters in the home. Our water heater is in our garage and so the flame is not subject to the pressure variation caused by the fan. Hopefully some experts will chime in on the things to look out for.
...See More

Related Stories

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Whole-House Remodeling Suits a Historic Colonial

By Becky Harris

Extensive renovations, including additions, update a 1918 Georgia home for modern life while respecting its history

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: A New Shower Leads to a Whole-House Remodel

Cohesion is the new name of the game for this transformed Arizona home, a dramatic departure from its former awkwardness

COLOR Pick-a-Paint Help: How to Create a Whole-House Color Palette

By Laura Gaskill

Don't be daunted. With these strategies, building a cohesive palette for your entire home is less difficult than it seems

REMODELING GUIDES 10 Tips to Maximize Your Whole-House Remodel

By Ventana Construction LLC

Cover all the bases now to ensure many years of satisfaction with your full renovation, second-story addition or bump-out

TRANSITIONAL HOMES Houzz Tour: Room for the Whole Gang in This Cape Cod Home

By Becky Harris

As homeowners transition to being empty nesters, they expand their summer house to serve extended family year-round

ARCHITECTURE Are Vaulted Ceilings Right for Your Next Home?

By Joanna Tovia

See the pros and cons of choosing soaring ceilings for rooms large and small

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: Twister Damage Sparks a Whole Ranch Remodel

By Sarah Greenman

A Dallas couple transforms their traditional rambler into a bright, family-centered haven after a tornado

PRODUCT PICKS Guest Picks: A Whole Lotta Wonderful Window Coverings

By Cindy Germann

Blinds, drapes, shades and curtain rods to give your windows a polished, put-together look

DECLUTTERING 5 Ways to Jump-Start a Whole-House Decluttering Effort

By Laura Gaskill

If the piles of paperwork and jampacked closets have you feeling like a deer in the headlights, take a deep breath and a baby step

Houzz Products: Get a Whole New Look — Without New Furniture

With a fresh-looking decor trio (rug, light fixture, wall covering), they won’t even notice that same-old sofa

Sponsored

More Discussions

Backsplash / microwave venting

4

Collar to join two 4 x 10 heat registers

6

Installing a powder room on main floor with hydronic radiant heat theo

3

A/c making humming sound

3

Engineered vs. Solid Hardwood over radiant floor heating

5