OT: Need attic exhaust fan advice.

[DJ Spanky]

In our townhouse, we have a steeply pitched roof built using prebuilt trusses. Near the peak is an exhaust fan which isn't working. It appears to be temperature controlled, but I have no experience with this. As far as I can tell, there's a single power wire which runs up to a box, which then feeds the fan. At the base of that wire is a switch, which is fed from another electrical box which also has a lightbult in it. (The only light for the attic.) Also attached to that box appears to be a temperature control of some type with a small brown wire leading off that to who knows where.

First steps right now are finding which circuit controls the power, then building a ladder to the upper level of the attic so I can actually get up there. But after that I need to diagnose how this system works and what's broken. So I appreciate any input from those who have experience with this.

 

[63valiant]

In our townhouse, we have a steeply pitched roof built using prebuilt trusses. Near the peak is an exhaust fan which isn't working. It appears to be temperature controlled, but I have no experience with this. As far as I can tell, there's a single power wire which runs up to a box, which then feeds the fan. At the base of that wire is a switch, which is fed from another electrical box which also has a lightbult in it. (The only light for the attic.) Also attached to that box appears to be a temperature control of some type with a small brown wire leading off that to who knows where.

First steps right now are finding which circuit controls the power, then building a ladder to the upper level of the attic so I can actually get up there. But after that I need to diagnose how this system works and what's broken. So I appreciate any input from those who have experience with this.

 

[63valiant]

Hey Spank, it should have a typical light switch feeding it power from the attic. The box next to the fan is a thermostat. You can adjust it with a small flat blade screw driver. Most of the time if you can reach the fan you can see if you can spin the fan manually ( not with your fingers). If it gives you any resistance the fan motor is shot. If it spins freely it may just be the thermostat. If you take the black wire feeding the thermostat and wire nut it to just the fan(bypassing the stat) then turn the switch on, if the fan comes on it’s the stat. The stats can be purchased separately from the whole fan. If the fan motor is shot just go buy a whole attic fan but remove the motor and t- stat and replace the two items so you don’t have to get on the roof!

 

[RU4Real]

Cost me 400 bucks to replace & upgrade one a couple years ago. Make the call.

 

[Knightmoves]

In our townhouse, we have a steeply pitched roof built using prebuilt trusses. Near the peak is an exhaust fan which isn't working. It appears to be temperature controlled, but I have no experience with this. As far as I can tell, there's a single power wire which runs up to a box, which then feeds the fan. At the base of that wire is a switch, which is fed from another electrical box which also has a lightbult in it. (The only light for the attic.) Also attached to that box appears to be a temperature control of some type with a small brown wire leading off that to who knows where.

First steps right now are finding which circuit controls the power, then building a ladder to the upper level of the attic so I can actually get up there. But after that I need to diagnose how this system works and what's broken. So I appreciate any input from those who have experience with this.

Hire a trusted electrician to scope it out and he will do the job in about an hour. Homeowners who think they can act as successful tradesmen are often disappointed with the results. My buddy from Howell fell off his roof trying to power wash the 2nd floor of his house. Lots of homeowners fall off ladders.

You probably won’t electrocute yourself but will be happier if you hire a professional. Being cheap is not always the right choice.

 

[mikebal9]

I asked around and found an electrician who took it on as a side job. He was done in about 2 hours and I think he charged me $100-200.

 

[Rhuarc]

I asked around and found an electrician who took it on as a side job. He was done in about 2 hours and I think he charged me $100-200.

I helped someone change an attic fan once. Never again. It was hotter than hell up there.

 

[mikershoein]

I do a number of things myself, but one fall off my roof early in parenthood I learned the hard way (broken wrist with a plate inserted, bad knee, and my Hyundai Sonata key stabbed my ball sack pretty severe)
An attic with major heights, I would pay someone. It’s not a matter of weather or not you can do it, it’s the risk that not worth taking

 

[63valiant]

What a bunch of Sissy’s.

 

[RU848789]

You guys don't know who you're dealing with. Spanky is an engineer and most engineers think they can do everything themselves, lol.

 

[chickenpatty2]

I do a number of things myself, but one fall off my roof early in parenthood I learned the hard way (broken wrist with a plate inserted, bad knee, and my Hyundai Sonata key stabbed my ball sack pretty severe)
An attic with major heights, I would pay someone. It’s not a matter of weather or not you can do it, it’s the risk that not worth taking

If you could only choose one, which would you rather have?
A) plate inserted in wrist
B) bad knee
C) stabbed ballsack

 

[dollarbill]

Check with the homeowners association before you touch anything. This could be a universal problem and someone may know the solution. Also, we lost a condo in a fire five years ago due to what we think was someone's faulty wiring. All 15 units completely destroyed. $$$$

 

[DJ Spanky]

I'll do this from the inside. To be able to access it, I first have to build a ladder up to the 2nd level. From there one can stand under the peak and access it. I'll do that during the week, then narrow down which circuit breaker controls it.

 

[dollarbill]

https://wtvr.com/2013/01/11/outer-banks-condo-fire/

 

[DJ Spanky]

https://wtvr.com/2013/01/11/outer-banks-condo-fire/

Kewl, I'll make sure to keep a bag of marshmallows up there to take advantage of it.

 

[retired711]

You guys don't know who you're dealing with. Spanky is an engineer and most engineers think they can do everything themselves, lol.

I know. My father was an engineer, and did everything around the house himself if he possibly could.

 

[mikershoein]

If you could only choose one, which would you rather have?
A) plate inserted in wrist
B) bad knee
C) stabbed ballsack

B- bad knee
I had to take golf lessons to RE-do my grip/ hand position. The ball sack, I have 5 kids (3 at the time) so no issues, but the flashbacks and nightmares of getting my balls stabbbed still exist

 

[newell138]

I'll do this from the inside. To be able to access it, I first have to build a ladder up to the 2nd level. From there one can stand under the peak and access it. I'll do that during the week, then narrow down which circuit breaker controls it.

try this ladder out:

 

[DennisHajekRC84]

try this ladder out:

Holy crap lol...

 

[DennisHajekRC84]

In our townhouse, we have a steeply pitched roof built using prebuilt trusses. Near the peak is an exhaust fan which isn't working. It appears to be temperature controlled, but I have no experience with this. As far as I can tell, there's a single power wire which runs up to a box, which then feeds the fan. At the base of that wire is a switch, which is fed from another electrical box which also has a lightbult in it. (The only light for the attic.) Also attached to that box appears to be a temperature control of some type with a small brown wire leading off that to who knows where.

First steps right now are finding which circuit controls the power, then building a ladder to the upper level of the attic so I can actually get up there. But after that I need to diagnose how this system works and what's broken. So I appreciate any input from those who have experience with this.

I'm guessing you already checked the circuit breaker box...

 

[DJ Spanky]

The fan is 16-18 feet above the attic floor, with no way to get up there. Which is why I'm building a ladder up to the 2nd level of the attic in order to access it.

I'm guessing you already checked the circuit breaker box...

Yep, but since the power for the fan goes through a light which is working, I pretty much figured that wasn't it. But never hurts to check.

 

[DennisHajekRC84]

The fan is 16-18 feet above the attic floor, with no way to get up there. Which is why I'm building a ladder up to the 2nd level of the attic in order to access it.

Yep, but since the power for the fan goes through a light which is working, I pretty much figured that wasn't it. But never hurts to check.

yeah, if that light is working and there is only one wire going into the box....I've got the same set-up...pretty standard..and my breaker goes now and again.

also assuming nobody has gone up there to raise the temp setting on the thermostat which would keep it from turning on (which since you need to build a ladder would guess not lol). I do that to mine in the winter cause I put insulation on the hole and don't want it going on in the summer before I pull it back out. Good luck.

 

[RU Cheese]

Cost me 400 bucks to replace & upgrade one a couple years ago. Make the call.

This. It's a project where doing it yourself seems to offer very little, if any, utility. I'd imagine there's far better ways you'd rather spend that time...

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

Just bite the bullet and hire someone to replace it.

 

[RUnTeX]

If any project starts out with a first step that requires a prep project of literally building a ladder to execute the actual project, that confirms that too much time and mental energy has already been spent trying to solve this problem.

 

[DJ Spanky]

And yet, if I don't build something to get up to that level (which I was going to do anyway as part of my attic project), no one will be able to fix it.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

If any project starts out with a first step that requires a prep project of literally building a ladder to execute the actual project, that confirms that too much time and mental energy has already been spent trying to solve this problem.

Nah, the latter is just so he can deploy an attic exhaust fan fixing robot that he built out of recycled materials.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Nah, the latter is just so he can deploy an attic exhaust fan fixing robot that he built out of recycled materials.

What do I look like, a tree hugger? I'm buying all new materials!

 

[RUScrew85]

In our townhouse, we have a steeply pitched roof built using prebuilt trusses. Near the peak is an exhaust fan which isn't working. It appears to be temperature controlled, but I have no experience with this. As far as I can tell, there's a single power wire which runs up to a box, which then feeds the fan. At the base of that wire is a switch, which is fed from another electrical box which also has a lightbult in it. (The only light for the attic.) Also attached to that box appears to be a temperature control of some type with a small brown wire leading off that to who knows where.

First steps right now are finding which circuit controls the power, then building a ladder to the upper level of the attic so I can actually get up there. But after that I need to diagnose how this system works and what's broken. So I appreciate any input from those who have experience with this.

Put it in the attic.

 

[RUScrew85]

I helped someone change an attic fan once. Never again. It was hotter than hell up there.

Oh yeah. This is a winter job.

 

[koleszar]

then building a ladder to the upper level of the attic so I can actually get up there. But after that I need to diagnose how this system works and what's broken. So I appreciate any input from those who have experience with this.

As soon as you said build a ladder my input, hire a professional. Your well being is worth more than $300-$400 bucks. If not to you, than I'm sure it is to your family. I'm on roofs from time to time and I won't go up there with just a ladder I have my guys erect scaffolding for my fat ass.

 

[DJ Spanky]

As soon as you said build a ladder my input, hire a professional. Your well being is worth more than $300-$400 bucks. If not to you, than I'm sure it is to your family. I'm on roofs from time to time and I won't go up there with just a ladder I have my guys erect scaffolding for my fat ass.

The ladder is just to get to the upper level of the attic. There are supports across that to walk on.

 

[fg7321]

Doubt that its the thermostat or the electric power to the FAN. Most of the FANs are the same type and have the same mounting bracket pretty easy to just remove the old fan motor and put in new fan motor. Did that on mine a few years ago.

You might need to just buy a complete fan from home depot and use the motor from that new fan

 

[DennisHajekRC84]

The ladder is just to get to the upper level of the attic. There are supports across that to walk on.

Screw the ladder, I'm thinking elevator.

 

[Knightmoves]

Screw the ladder, I'm thinking elevator.

Scaffolding is a minimum for this job. Call Taylor Rentals or borrow something professional from a friend.

 

[DennisHajekRC84]

Scaffolding is a minimum for this job. Call Taylor Rentals or borrow something professional from a friend.

No way...1scotch and a couple of mattrises on the floor for safety.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Scaffolding is a minimum for this job. Call Taylor Rentals or borrow something professional from a friend.

Geeze, I don't need scaffolding. As I said, there's an upper level that can be walked on, I just need a short ladder built off of the vertical trusses to access it.

 

[Knight Shift]

Geeze, I don't need scaffolding. As I said, there's an upper level that can be walked on, I just need a short ladder built off of the vertical trusses to access it.

Trusses are built to support the weight of the roof, not the weight of a DJ Spanky and his toolbelt. Many of the trusses pieces used in condo/townhouse construction are held together by gusset plates. I would double check to make sure if you can do this without comprising the truss.

 

[retired711]

Geeze, I don't need scaffolding. As I said, there's an upper level that can be walked on, I just need a short ladder built off of the vertical trusses to access it.

This does *not* sound like a job that should be done by anyone who does not specialize in this kind of work. Spanky, count yourself lucky that you have sufficient funds that you don't have to risk life and limb on this job. HIre someone.

 

[m1ipabrams]

You guys don't know who you're dealing with. Spanky is an engineer and most engineers think they can do everything themselves, lol.

we can't?