Installing gable power vent question.?
Question:When installing 2 gable vents, is it better to have one side draw outside air in and the other side push the inside air out creating a cross flow through the attic, or better just to have both power vents pushing air out?
Answers:
If you install them both blowing out, you are looking at problems. They are rated to move a certain amount of Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM). If they are working against each other, the soffit vents will not provide enough airflow to accomodate them both, causing them to overwork themselves and overheat. Not to mention, if they have a high CFM, your attic hole panel may lift and release your cool air from your house. If you are not running air conditioning, I would suggest an attic hole fan blowing into the attic and drawing cool evening air into your house through the windows. This is what I am using right now and I am usually wearing a long-sleeved flannel shirt until about 9:00 am, and I live in Florida!
Getting back on point... If you are going to use two gable vents, they need to work together. Figure out which way the wind usually blows from during the summer and have that vent blowing in, with the other one blowing out with the wind. This way, the fans will not overwork themselves, and the wind will flow right through them, keeping your attic cool. I am assuming that they will be installed with thermostats... You can posssibly hook them up to the same thermostat so that they work together more efficiently.
You might want to secure your insulation on the incoming end of your house.
I hope this helps!
I'd have them both blowing out and drawing make-up air from passive roof vents.
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