How Much Does a Whole-House Fan Cost? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $800 - $2,400
A whole-house fan costs between $800 and $2,400, with a national average of $1,700, depending on the fan size and motor type.
Installing a whole-house fan costs between $800 and $2,400, or around $1,700 for an average-sized home. As long as you don't live in a humid climate where the air feels sticky before you've even walked outside, a whole-house fan is a highly cost-effective way to cool your home. Let's take a look at what contributes to the whole-house fan price, from the type of fan to how much power you need to get air flowing.
- Average
- $1,700
- Low end
- $800
- high end
- $3,600
Whole-House Fan Cost Breakdown
A whole-house fan—sometimes called an exhaust fan—typically sits in your attic, creating negative pressure by pushing hot air out through attic vents. With your windows open, that negative pressure pulls fresh, cool air in from the outside to cool your living space.
Let's look at some whole-house fan cost factors and how they affect the total installation cost.
House Size
According to the Department of Energy, a whole-house fan should exchange the air in your home 15 to 23 times every hour, or once every two to four minutes. For this reason, whole-house fans come with CFM ratings—or the cubic feet per minute they exchange air.
When you're shopping for a whole-house fan, you'll choose a fan based on its CFM rating. On a basic level, the CFM relates to the square footage of your home, though professionals will use a more complex equation involving the height of your ceilings and a fan's intended air exchange capacity.
You want your CFM to be able to handle your entire home’s square footage.
| Home Size (in Square Feet) | CFM Rating |
|---|---|
| 1,500 | 6,000 |
| 2,000 | 8,000 |
| 2,500 | 10,000 |
| 3,000 | 12,000 |
Keep in mind that the fan sizes listed in the infographic above are averages, so the fan size you need may vary, even if your square footage matches the examples. It’s a good idea to have a professional come out to size your fan appropriately.
Once you have your CFM dialed in, you can use the table below to get an idea of what your whole-house fan will cost.
| CFM Rating | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 6,000 | $800–$1,800 |
| 8,000 | $900–$2,000 |
| 10,000 | $1,000–$2,200 |
| 12,000 | $1,100–$2,400 |
Fan Size
Take things a step further by understanding the different diameters of your whole-house fan. As you can imagine, the fan’s diameter plays a large role in its CFM, and therefore its price.
| Fan Diameter | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 20 inches (around 4,000 CFM) | $600–$1,500 |
| 30 inches (around 6,000 CFM) | $800–$1,800 |
| 36 inches (around 7,000 CFM) | $900–$2,000 |
It’s usually more accurate to price out your whole-house fan based on CFM rather than diameter, but depending on where you’re installing the fan, your diameter might be limited.
Motor Type
Whole-house fans come with either belt-drive or direct-drive motors. Belt-drive motors cost between $500 and $1,000 for materials. They function as the name implies, with a belt and series of pulleys to turn the fan. The setup is quieter than direct-drive motors, but they’re more expensive upfront and may require more repairs and cost more in utilities in the long run.
Direct-drive motors cost between $350 and $900 for materials and often cost less to run and maintain. In this case, the fan blades connect directly to the motor, eliminating the energy-hungry friction of the belt-drive motor's many moving parts. However, the blades are often smaller and therefore must spin faster to create the same effect. For this reason, direct-drive motors tend to be louder than belt-drive ones, although they are more affordable.
| Motor Type | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Belt-drive | $500–$1,000 |
| Direct-drive | $350–$900 |
Labor
Installing a whole-house fan costs between $300 and $1,000 in labor costs, or $50 to $100 per hour. Labor includes more than installing the fan itself, however. You may pay more for related construction costs to customize the fan to your home, or to have an electrician wire in the unit for you.
For example, roof ventilation installation costs between $300 and $650—an integral part of the whole-house fan system. Lastly, if you choose to install a direct-mount fan, which is a fan that sits on the floor of your attic, a local carpenter may need to move floor and ceiling joints below the fan for installation. Carpenters charge an average of $50 to $100 per hour.
Permits and Inspections
The cost of construction permits for electrical projects ranges from $10 to $500, depending on your location. In some areas, major changes to your HVAC system require permits that cost between $250 and $400. Generally speaking, your permit cost should be relatively low for a whole-house fan, though, sitting somewhere around $50.
Whole-House Fan Prices by Type
While most whole-house fans mount directly on the floor of your attic, you can make alterations depending on the size of your attic and the slope of your roof. There are also a few other options you have for whole-house fans, and each type may come with additional costs. The table below includes some pricing for different types of whole-house fans, but keep in mind that these are for materials only.
| Type of Fan | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Direct Mounted | $1,700 |
| Ducted | $2,000 |
| Roof Mounted | $2,000 |
| Wall Mounted | $1,600 |
Direct Mounted
The most common design of a whole-house fan is a direct mount. Direct-mounted fans sit on the floor of your attic and vent through the ceiling of your top floor. You can expect to pay an average of $1,700 for this set-up.
Additional costs could arise if you need to install a larger fan. Most whole-house fans fit between ceiling joists, so if you need to cut the joists to install a larger one, you’ll need to account for the cost of hiring a carpenter, too.
Ducted Fans
If you're hoping to cut down on the sound of the whole-house fan, contractors can add about six feet of hidden ductwork to carry the air between your ceiling and the attic’s roof. While the cost of the extra materials and installation varies, these fans usually total around $2,000 to install. However, you'll also need a gable or roof vent already in place, which as mentioned earlier, adds between $300 and $650 to your total.
You might also need to pay a higher ongoing maintenance cost for these types of fans, as you might need to pay the cost of duct cleaning every few years.
Roof Mounted
Roof-mounted—also known as indirect mounted—whole-house fans are ideal for homes with flat and low-pitched roofs, especially those with small attic spaces. They can also be better than a ducted fan in areas where indoor humidity could cause condensation on the air vents and subsequent water damage.
You'll need to budget for the cost of hiring a professional roofer at $45 to $75 per hour to cut a hole in your roof and install a protective covering over the vent. You will also need to add the price of additional ductwork to connect the fan to the ceiling. These added costs can push up your total.
Wall Mounted
A wall-mounted fan sits in your wall rather than your ceiling, and some homeowners who can’t install a standard direct-mounted fan prefer this over a roof-mounted option to avoid cutting a hole in the roof. Wall-mounted fans cost an average of $1,600 to install, although your price could increase if you need a carpenter to move studs and reinforce load-bearing walls to make room for the fan.
Additional Costs to Consider
Installing a whole-house fan may affect the surrounding structural elements of your home, so you may pay extra for hiring related contractors. There are also several add-ons to make your fan run more smoothly.
Speed Settings
While your fan will come with a basic control panel, some models allow you to change the speed of the motor. If you opt for a more complex three-speed or variable-speed fan, you'll pay up to $3,600 for the fan and installation costs.
Fan Shutters
Shutters are a standard addition to whole-house fans, allowing the ducts to open and close. While they are often included in the overall price of the fan, they might cost between $40 and $200 to add on after the fact.
Attic Fan Cover
Add an attic fan cover to protect your home from cold air in the winter. You can often remove and replace them yourself before and after the cold season. They cost between $30 and $85.
Insulation
Insulated doors can go the extra mile to control the temperatures coming and going from your whole-house fan. At between $20 to $30 per roll, insulation can add more protection against fluctuating temperatures.
Roof Vent Installation
Whole-house fans pull in air from open windows and doors downstairs, but it sends it outside through vents in your roof, gables, and soffits. There are several types of roof vents to choose from depending on its design, but assume that installation will cost between $300 and $650 per vent. Keep in mind that you may already have proper ventilation installed.
Electrical
In some cases, you'll need to add or move wiring to accommodate your new whole-house fan. The electrician installing your fan may add switches and remote control units for your fan. An electrician charges between $50 and $100 an hour or $85 to $200 to install a new switch. An electrician may include this service in their flat fee to install the whole fan.
Drywall Repairs
Additionally, you may need to replace and repair drywall after installing vent work for your whole-house fan. Add between $60 to $90 per drywall panel, or an average of $300 to $900 for the cost of drywall installation for a project of this size.
Cost to Install a Whole-House Fan Yourself
Installing a whole-house fan yourself is technically possible, but we very strongly recommend against attempting this work without the help of a licensed electrician and the proper construction permits. There are too many structural elements that require you to remove drywall, move ceiling joists, relocate studs, and connect the fan to electrical switches to make this a safe project for a homeowner.
Plus, whole-house fans require ventilation to the exterior, and any time you penetrate your exterior walls or roof, you’re opening yourself up to possible water and air leaks.
Hire a trusted electrician in your area to oversee the whole-house fan installation from start to finish.
Tips to Save Money on Whole-House Fan Costs
You'll instantly save money by choosing to install a whole-house fan over installing a central AC unit, which costs between $3,900 and $7,900. Still, whole house fans can get expensive, so use the tips below to lower the costs of whole-house fan installation.
Work with an electrician familiar with installing whole-house fans in your area and your home design.
Whenever possible, work with existing vent work and the structure of your home. Adding vents or moving ceiling joists will add to the final cost.
Opt for a direct-drive model to save on upfront costs and ongoing maintenance costs, as long as you don’t mind a louder fan.
Choose the proper CFM rating for your home—too large a fan will waste energy and upfront costs and too small a fan will require you to run the fan for longer to keep your home cool.
Opt for a simple single-speed whole-house fan without additional settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whole-house fans can save money on your electricity bills and allow you to skip out on the cost of standard HVAC repairs. When properly installed, a whole-house fan tends to have a relatively quick return-on-investment, as soon as between one and three years. Keep in mind that whole-house fans are not often an option for very hot and humid areas.
A whole-house fan will not allow you to control your home's temperature and keep it at a specific temperature like a traditional AC unit would. You rely on the night and morning weather to cool your home down efficiently. Also, whole-house fans can be loud and may allow cold air to enter your home in the winter. They also require penetrations through your exterior walls or roof, which could invite water and pests in if they aren’t installed properly.
Whole-house fans cost significantly less to run than a window AC unit. You'll pay an average of $0.01 and $0.05 per hour to run a whole-house fan compared to $0.06 to $0.88 per hour for the cost to run a window AC, depending on its size and the size of your home. They also use far less electricity than traditional central AC units.
A whole-house fan works best to pull chilled and dry air into your home in the early morning hours and at night. This system allows you to close your windows after turning off the fan and trap the cool air inside. You can run your whole house fan continuously for maximum ventilation and fresh air, or you can turn it on for ten minutes or so at a time to introduce cool, fresh air as needed.
When maintained and repaired when necessary, your whole-house fan can last between 10 and 20 years. Check your warranty when purchasing the unit, as it will typically only cover between 5 and 15 years. Its longevity will also depend on your local climate and how much you use the fan. Having a professional size your fan appropriately for your home size will also help ensure it doesn’t get overworked, which can limit its lifespan.