How Much Does a Whole-House Fan Cost? [2025 Data]
A whole-house fan costs between $900 and $2,400, with an average cost of $1,700. Your price will depend on the brand and size of the fan plus labor costs, so call a pro for a specific quote.
Installing a whole-house fan costs between $900 and $2,400 on average for materials and labor, and people in an average-sized home commonly spend $1,700. 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 cost-effective way to cool your home. Let's take a look at what contributes to whole-house fan prices, from the type of fan to how much power you need to get air flowing.
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.
Fan 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.
| Type of Fan | Description | Average Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Mounted | Sits on the floor of attic between ceiling joists | $1,700 |
| Ducted | Requires 6 feet of ductwork, higher maintenance costs | $2,000 |
| Roof Mounted | Good for homes with flat and low-pitched roofs | $2,000 |
| Wall Mounted | Sits inside the wall, good choice if you can’t install roof-mounted fan | $1,600 |
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 | Average Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1,500 | 6,000 | $800–$1,800 |
| 2,000 | 8,000 | $900–$2,000 |
| 2,500 | 10,000 | $1,000–$2,200 |
| 3,000 | 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.
| Motor Type | Description | Average Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Belt drive | Quieter, costs more in utilities | $500–$1,000 |
| Direct drive | Louder, more affordable overall | $350–$900 |
Belt-drive motors cost between $500 and $1,000 for materials. Direct-drive motors cost between $350 and $900 for materials and often cost less to run and maintain.
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.
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.
| Add-On | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Variable-speed fan | $3,600 |
| Fan shutters | $40–$200 |
| Attic fan cover | $30–$85 |
| Insulation | $20–$30 per roll |
| Roof vent | $300–$650 per vent |
| Electrical wiring | $50–$100 an hour |
| Drywall repairs | $60–$90 per drywall panel |
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.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
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.
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