Problems With Whole House Fan
Q: We installed a whole house fan two years ago. It has been working fine, no noises or anything to indicate it is having a problem. One night while it was on it just went dead. We checked the circuit breaker but nothing else was out in the house so we figured it wasn't that anyway. Do you have any clues as to what could be wrong? Please help, we do not want to replace it already.
A: Thanks for your inquiry. I consulted Tom Lech with
Mr. Electric for the following advice:
"It is unusual for a fan motor to go out in two years so a thorough inspection of your electrical system would be recommended. If you whole house fan was an after market installation, then your installer had to tie into your existing electrical wiring or pull a new circuit from your electrical panel. Most installers tie into existing electrical wiring so the electrician should start the troubleshooting process with this in mind. Key areas for your electrician to examine are detailed below:"
- A loose or bad connection in a junction box.
- The switch that controls the fan is bad or is not working properly.
- A neutral wire has come loose.
"The only way to find the exact reason why your fan is not working will be to have a licensed electrician come to your home to troubleshoot the situation."
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by Kathy Maynard, reprinted courtesy of HomeAdvisor.com