Review: Whole house air exchanger (house fan) [Archive]

pl8er

05-22-2009, 05:54 PM

I need help fellas. I want to install a house fan. If you have any experience information etc, it would be very helpful. Looking to spend around 500 on this. Need one that seals up in the cold months. Has to cover 2,200-2,500 sq.ft (depending on if the florida room is open or not)

Looking at this one so far.

http://www.plumbersurplus.com/Prod/Broan-NuTone-AE60-Whole-House-Air-Exchanger/104051/Cat/551?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=googlebase&cvsfa=63&cvsfe=2&cvsfp=104051

pl8er

05-22-2009, 05:55 PM

whoops, not a review LOL

Spider Monkey

05-22-2009, 06:07 PM

I have one of those. I have not used it though.

hemroids

05-22-2009, 06:14 PM

my dad and I put one in not long ago in his house and they are great. pay for a quiet one because they are loud. It helps push the hot air out of the top and then a nice cool breeze comes in open windows. Saves a bunch on running ac if its not to hot out but just muggy inside. We made a nice wooden cover that clamps down over it in the winter then toss insulation over that.

pl8er

05-22-2009, 06:19 PM

Thanks! I'm really interested in one of these. Going to hit a a few contacts for some pricing. Anyone sell them?

Spider Monkey

05-22-2009, 07:10 PM

pl8er

05-22-2009, 10:17 PM

pl8er

05-23-2009, 11:21 AM

Hrm....I have to take this to Ca.com don't I? :(

Spider Monkey

05-23-2009, 01:38 PM

Why?

pl8er

05-23-2009, 01:41 PM

Why?

Because our collective knows nothing of them. :(

Spider Monkey

05-23-2009, 01:48 PM

Because our collective knows nothing of them. :(

I said I had one. :fyi:

These are then fuckers up in the ceiling that suck out the hot air right?

hemroids

05-23-2009, 02:12 PM

The fuck you need to pay extra for a quiet one for? You only turn it on for 5 minutes at a time. lel

on a warm day you leave it on all day. keeps the heat from building up inside. :duh:

Spider Monkey

05-23-2009, 02:17 PM

on a warm day you leave it on all day. keeps the heat from building up inside. :duh:

Do you live in hell or something? The thing I'm talking about is for quick acclamation to the outside temp. You ever heard of A/C and ceiling fans?

90lac

05-23-2009, 02:18 PM

cut a hole in the ceiling big enough for a box fan. put the box fan in and there you go whole house fan on the cheep

Spider Monkey

05-23-2009, 02:23 PM

cut a hole in the ceiling big enough for a box fan. put the box fan in and there you go whole house fan on the cheep

:hilarious:

I don't think homey rolls ghetto. There is no way a standard box/floor fan has the power to do shit for an entire house unless you're ballin a trailer like tappin.

pl8er

05-23-2009, 02:58 PM

:hilarious:

I don't think homey rolls ghetto. There is no way a standard box/floor fan has the power to do shit for an entire house unless you're ballin a trailer like tappin.

ROFL! Totally THIS. Box fan = what? 20 bucks? Whole house fan = 300-2,000, must be a few differences :P

I didn't quote it SM, but I did see that you said you had one, but you said you never use it. I'm working on some "green" type things for the house. This gives a 30% tax break, 100 bucks back from the electric company and cuts electric bills between 7-20% (depending on house size, fan size, etc) by allowing the house to stay cooler longer before the AC needs to come on.

Spider Monkey

05-23-2009, 03:05 PM

ROFL! Totally THIS. Box fan = what? 20 bucks? Whole house fan = 300-2,000, must be a few differences :P

I didn't quote it SM, but I did see that you said you had one, but you said you never use it. I'm working on some "green" type things for the house. This gives a 30% tax break, 100 bucks back from the electric company and cuts electric bills between 7-20% (depending on house size, fan size, etc) by allowing the house to stay cooler longer before the AC needs to come on.

I didn't mean that I will never use it. I have just not used it yet. I bought this house in November of last year. It has yet to be better outside than it is inside. But I prefer it colder than most. This house is freakishly surprising me this summer so far. The A/C has probably run all of a handful of days for just minutes so far. In the summer I keep it at 78 when I am home and 85 when at work. In the winter I had the heater at 72 when at home and 65 when at work. The heater was a real bitch and expensive as hell (got any breaks on those bastards?). Thing is in the garage and is bigger than me - old school. The A/C unit is only about 2x2x3 and it works well.

I understand the tax rebates and shit which makes awesome sense but I'm still trying to figure out when I would turn mine on. In the summer, when is it ever cooler outside of your house than inside? Visa versa for the winter.

pl8er

05-23-2009, 03:39 PM

I didn't mean that I will never use it. I have just not used it yet. I bought this house in November of last year. It has yet to be better outside than it is inside. But I prefer it colder than most. This house is freakishly surprising me this summer so far. The A/C has probably run all of a handful of days for just minutes so far. In the summer I keep it at 78 when I am home and 85 when at work. In the winter I had the heater at 72 when at home and 65 when at work. The heater was a real bitch and expensive as hell (got any breaks on those bastards?). Thing is in the garage and is bigger than me - old school. The A/C unit is only about 2x2x3 and it works well.

I understand the tax rebates and shit which makes awesome sense but I'm still trying to figure out when I would turn mine on. In the summer, when is it ever cooler outside of your house than inside? Visa versa for the winter.

At least for me in the summer (ohio) we have night time lows of about 65...they have 12 hour timers. So around 10 or 11pm it would come on and pull 65-75 temps into the house...around 10 or 11am it would shut off and the ac would take over.

I have an older, large house and an ineffecient ac unit.

Really the only thing going for me right now is a really really well insulated house. The problem is that any heat brought in during the day, gets trapped and never makes it out. House stays HOT.

New house T-4 years and counting ;)

Spider Monkey

05-23-2009, 03:43 PM

At least for me in the summer (ohio) we have night time lows of about 65...they have 12 hour timers. So around 10 or 11pm it would come on and pull 65-75 temps into the house...around 10 or 11am it would shut off and the ac would take over.

I have an older, large house and an ineffecient ac unit.

Mine is old too, for my standards. Made in the early 90's. I think that is why the heater trips me out so much. I've never even seen one before. Course as a kid, our house had a in floor heating system that heated the tile so I'm a strange duck. They are usually small bastards hidden somewhere.

Would it be cheaper to upgrade the A/C unit than all of the labor to put in a house fan? How much does a new A/C unit cost?

Spider Monkey

05-23-2009, 03:44 PM

From the edit:

Maybe you're letting it get too hot during the day? Crank down the A/C a few notches? Just talkin out loud here.

pl8er

05-23-2009, 03:51 PM

New unit for this house would be around 3,000 or so. The AC works, just not like I would like to see it work.

yeah, my wife's apartment had tile heating throughout, very nice indeed!

This house was built in 1969. I would prefer to get something less than 10 years old or greater than 80. I'm leaning towards 80. We actually want less rooms, but larger rooms, lots of land and at least a 3 car.

Overall, I don't care about it all that much (the ac/fan) but my wife works from home, I want her and the lil one to be comfortable all day, but also trying to reduce and reuse were possible. I'm not super "green" but it does help, and saves me $$

We are planning for a few things long-term, such as the new house, his schooling (shit looks like it will cost us about 1200-1600 per month), and of course always newer better rides.

Te explain the thought process, this house was purchased when I was 19 (maybe even 18) for 130,000 (very average middle road price for Ohio) and I want to get about 200,000 out of it (over 40,000 just in upgrades to the kitchen, bathrooms, etc etc etc etc). I'm a realist, this won't happen for YEARS due to the current conditions. The next house we will buy will be between 350-500k. I'll be 32, 33 and I want to honestly retire from that one then move abroad.

Spider Monkey

05-23-2009, 03:56 PM

New unit for this house would be around 3,000 or so. The AC works, just not like I would like to see it work.

yeah, my wife's apartment had tile heating throughout, very nice indeed!

This house was built in 1969. I would prefer to get something less than 10 years old or greater than 80. I'm leaning towards 80. We actually want less rooms, but larger rooms, lots of land and at least a 3 car.

80's would be pushing it unless the builders were ahead of their time. At least in my area, rooms don't start expanding until the late late 80's. early 90's and before then the kitchens were small as fuck.

Overall, I don't care about it all that much (the ac/fan) but my wife works from home, I want her and the lil one to be comfortable all day, but also trying to reduce and reuse were possible. I'm not super "green" but it does help, and saves me $$

I hurd that. When I had a useless woman (did not work from home, just stayed there all day) my bills were off the chain.

Te explain the thought process, this house was purchased when I was 19 (maybe even 18) for 130,000 (very average middle road price for Ohio) and I want to get about 200,000 out of it (over 40,000 just in upgrades to the kitchen, bathrooms, etc etc etc etc). I'm a realist, this won't happen for YEARS due to the current conditions. The next house we will buy will be between 350-500k. I'll be 32, 33 and I want to honestly retire from that one then move abroad.

Holy shit. You bought a house when you were 19? Ballin!

Totally down with you on the last quote. I plan to put the same amount into this one and then do the same you plan on doing. Maybe we can be neighbors and troll the town together. :laugh:

pl8er

05-23-2009, 04:10 PM

80's would be pushing it unless the builders were ahead of their time. At least in my area, rooms don't start expanding until the late late 80's. early 90's and before then the kitchens were small as fuck.

I hurd that. When I had a useless woman (did not work from home, just stayed there all day) my bills were off the chain.

Holy shit. You bought a house when you were 19? Ballin!

Totally down with you on the last quote. I plan to put the same amount into this one and then do the same you plan on doing. Maybe we can be neighbors and troll the town together. :laugh:

If you move to Ohio, totally yo! :P

Sorry, I wrote that totally fucked up, I meant 10 years old or less or at least 80 years old. Actually, if I was going to buy today (always watching the market) this is what I'd buy...obviously way over what I want to pay, but I'm a buyer, everything is just a starting off point :P

http://www.frontdoor.com/for_sale/listing/6463-1870965/Grove_City,OH,USA/500000-1000000_price/582-538956643,582-538957761,6463-1870965_ls/3_t Very close to work too.

pl8er

05-23-2009, 04:12 PM

You said: You bought a house when you were 19, ballin!

yeah, actually my buddy and I were living together and both working where I work now. Semiconductor pays, on average, higher than other areas so we both had extra cash. he's been my best friend since 2nd grade, so it was a good arrangement. We were just throwing cash away with apartments. When he decided to move, I paid him about 6g's for his part of the investment.

Spider Monkey

05-23-2009, 04:13 PM

If you move to Ohio, totally yo! :P

Sorry, I wrote that totally fucked up, I meant 10 years old or less or at least 80 years old. Actually, if I was going to buy today (always watching the market) this is what I'd buy...obviously way over what I want to pay, but I'm a buyer, everything is just a starting off point :P

http://www.frontdoor.com/for_sale/listing/6463-1870965/Grove_City,OH,USA/500000-1000000_price/582-538956643,582-538957761,6463-1870965_ls/3_t Very close to work too.

Fuckin ballin!

As for neighbors, I meant after moving abroad. No way in hell am I moving to Ohio unless it doubles my income. lel

pl8er

05-23-2009, 04:26 PM

Fuckin ballin!

As for neighbors, I meant after moving abroad. No way in hell am I moving to Ohio unless it doubles my income. lel

Wurd.

Foreign gov't gives tax free living for extended times and also lots of extras for American's moving to their countries. I want to live on an island.

Spider Monkey

05-23-2009, 04:45 PM

Wurd.

Foreign gov't gives tax free living for extended times and also lots of extras for American's moving to their countries. I want to live on an island.

Monaco. No taxes, and it has the best race on earth. Sucks for me right now though because I can only get F1 on Speed, and my cable provider just moved that channel to the digital package. Motherfuckers could have waited until after the race god damn it!

I did the island thing in December. If you ever need references for buying a lot on a private island in the Bahamas I have them. :fyi:

pl8er

05-23-2009, 06:38 PM

Monaco. No taxes, and it has the best race on earth. Sucks for me right now though because I can only get F1 on Speed, and my cable provider just moved that channel to the digital package. Motherfuckers could have waited until after the race god damn it!

I did the island thing in December. If you ever need references for buying a lot on a private island in the Bahamas I have them. :fyi:

I'll keep that in mind. Although I would go further away from the U.S. I imagine. Don't get me wrong, I love the United States (seriously, I do). I just want to live somewhere a bit nicer for death.

Now again, shit looks bad in a couple years, plan is still there. Stealing boat, finding empty island. Living it up until its over.

bluecar

05-30-2009, 12:36 AM

Did you ever get this to work? I am looking into something similar. How does one wire it up and do the duct work?

Spider Monkey

05-30-2009, 12:43 AM

Did you ever get this to work? I am looking into something similar. How does one wire it up and do the duct work?

Duct work? It lays on the ceiling. There is no duct work. It sucks up and pushes out and down through the roof vents. It is really quite smart and simple.

You need an attic though.

bluecar

05-30-2009, 12:45 AM

Duct work? It lays on the ceiling. There is no duct work. It sucks up and pushes out and down through the roof vents. It is really quite smart and simple.

You need an attic though.

Pushes hot air from the attic into the house or air in the house to the attic?

Spider Monkey

05-30-2009, 12:57 AM

Pushes hot air from the attic into the house or air in the house to the attic?

The latter. Into the attic and out the natural vents built into the sides under the roofing.

pl8er

07-11-2009, 12:36 AM

So I had let this fucker die off because I couldn't fit the fan in my ceiling. The units that would work were around 1,000. So tonight I'm at the gym and out of no where it hits me like a rock....my house has 3 sliding glass doors that lead out to a florida room that we really don't use. The one in the furthest part of the house points right to a large window that is open in the florida room. So I went to Lowe's and got a 7,700 cfm high velocity floor fan. Set it up, using just window plastic for now and BAAM. Downstairs curtains are standing straight up! ha ha ha

So my overly intelligent and handy co-forumers....I need a large sheet of clear (fill in the blank) I will have to cut a pretty exact cut-out int he bottom and the rest will seal to the outside of the sliding glass door. I want the cheapest clear thing possible that is rigid. The plastic is just too ghetto. Any ideas?

bluecar

07-11-2009, 12:44 AM

Lowe's has 1/4 acrylic.

Also you can try HDS....It is cutting board. I may have misspelled HDS because I am drunk, but search cutting board....fairly inexpensive and won't bend.

pl8er

07-11-2009, 12:45 AM

I need a VERY large sheet....so cheap as possible

bluecar

07-11-2009, 12:50 AM

I need a VERY large sheet....so cheap as possible

How large...I think they sell acrylic up to 4 x 8. Bigger than that?

pl8er

07-11-2009, 12:51 AM

standard sliding glass door size?

pl8er

07-11-2009, 12:52 AM

damn its like 200 bucks for a single sheet of acrylic. The fan was only 125 LOL

bluecar

07-11-2009, 12:54 AM

standard sliding glass door size?

I think a door is 80" tall.....width varies in the 30s....usually 32-36.

so a 4x8 will work.

pl8er

07-11-2009, 12:55 AM

well acrylic is out....looking at plexiglass. I want this to be cheap cheap cheap...not for looks, no one will see it. Just want something easy to move if I wanted and strong enough that it wont' flex with this things power

pl8er

07-11-2009, 12:58 AM

http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic/Plexiglass_Acrylic_Sheet_Clear/PLEXIGLASS-ACRYCLR0-080FM48X48

maybe?

bluecar

07-11-2009, 01:03 AM

pl8er

07-11-2009, 01:10 AM

Looking at these prices...next project is in mind. DIY bubble wall.

bluecar

07-11-2009, 01:23 AM

.08" too thin.

IDSkot

07-11-2009, 01:45 AM

Did some research on these. The electric company offers a discount of 100 dollars (credit) if you put one in and the gov't gives you a tax credit of 30% for all installation and equipment costs as it is going "green"

You should also check into solar panels. There are some states which actually pay for the panels and installation of said panels, cutting cost spent on power in half or more in some cases.

IDSkot

07-11-2009, 01:47 AM

P.S. Fuck all of you guys. The summer for me is an average of 90 degree F, and in the Winter it's an average of 85 degree F with a few weeks of it dropping into the 70's. Fucking HATE South Florida.

pl8er

07-11-2009, 11:41 AM

You should also check into solar panels. There are some states which actually pay for the panels and installation of said panels, cutting cost spent on power in half or more in some cases.

Aye, I'm with ya on that. My next task. My company produces almost exclusively the starting material for the solar panels for one of the top producers of solar technology.