I'm thinking about adding an exhaust fan to my home's existing ducting to help cool things down, especially in the evenings when it's cooler outside. My idea is to tie the fan into the current duct system so that when it runs, it pulls out the hot air gathered near the ceiling through the registers. This would ideally happen before I switch on the air conditioning. I would make sure to seal the fan when it's off, so it won't interfere with the HVAC.
Is this a feasible solution? Will changing the airflow from pressure to vacuum work safely? Am I just reinventing the wheel here, or is there a better approach?
3 Answers
It's definitely a creative idea, especially if your ductwork makes this easy to set up! As long as everything is sealed well, switching to vacuum mode shouldn't be a problem. You should think about adding a good electric damper linked to your thermostat and the exhaust fan to prevent any airflow issues when your HVAC is running. Just keep in mind that there might be some code restrictions due to fire safety, so it's worth checking into that.
You're better off just getting a whole house fan rather than trying to exhaust through your existing HVAC ductwork. It’s designed specifically for venting hot air and can save you a lot of hassle!
This sounds interesting, but I’m not sure it’ll work as you think. The air inside your house operates in a closed loop system. When you push air out through the return ducts, it could just mix the warm air near the registers into the cycle. If you're trying to vent air outside, you'd need to ensure there’s a way for fresh air to come in, like through windows or additional vents. What you may want is a whole house fan or an attic fan, which are designed for this purpose and have been used effectively for years.