Exposed Wires: The Complexities Of Electrical Installation
Troubleshooting Common Whole House Fan Problems
Loretta Hughes
A whole house fan refers to an oversize fan that is installed within an attic in order to bring in cool air from outside when the interior of the house is very hot. Most homeowners who have these fans use them at night to keep rooms cool. The fan pushes hot air out and pulls cool air into the house via windows or attic vents. Whole house fans can fail from time to time, requiring an emergency electrician to pass by and repair the fan. Use the following information to identify what could be wrong so that you only call the emergency electrician when the problem is beyond your capacity to repair.
Blades that Don't Spin
If you notice that the motor of the whole house fan is running, yet its blades are not moving, the motor belt may have broken. You can confirm this by observing whether there is anything hanging loose from the proximity of the fan blades. The only remedy for a broken fan belt is to replace it, so you can buy the replacement and fit it yourself or call an electrician to fit it for you.
The Fan Operates Intermittently
Another common problem that you may experience is that the fan may start then go off after a few minutes. This intermittent operation could be an indicator that the thermal sensor inside the fan may be switching the unit off. This may be because of insufficient attic ventilation or the sensor may be defective. Check for blockages (like bird nests) in the attic vents. If none are present, then the sensor should be replaced. You can perform this task by reading the manual that came with the fan. The manual will describe where the sensor is. All you have to do is remove the old one and take it to an electrical store so that you buy a replacement.
The Fan Hums
A humming whole house fan can be a major annoyance when you are trying to rest at night. If you experience this problem, read the user manual to find out how you can activate the anti-hum function on the fan. The humming sound will be no more once you do that.
Remember that all electrical repairs are potentially dangerous, so you should only attempt to repair your whole house fan if you are sure of your electrical skills. Otherwise, just call an emergency electrician from a company like Laser Electrical Greenwood to investigate the problem you are having.
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Jonathon here. I am currently completing my electrical apprenticeship and I have to say, it has been a challenge. Before I started, I didn’t realise that there was so much involved in wiring a house or building. Safety, efficiency, aesthetics and costs all have to be taken into account. My boss is so patient. One customer asked us to leave electrical wires exposed because he wanted an “industrial effect”. My boss explained that it would be illegal and they compromised. I have really learnt that electrical installation is one area in which people should not take short-cuts or undertake home handiwork. This blog should help you to gain a little more insight into electrical installation and its intricacies. I hope you find it enlightening. Thank you for stumbling into my corner of the blogosphere.