- What are the benefits of whole house fans?
Greatly reduce or eliminate your AC usage.
Save up to 90% on your AC bill when used properly. 
Save money, power, and the planet :)
Very low operating cost with the new whole

House fan motor technology. 
Cool down your attic and home at the same time.
Environmental stewardship.
Breathe cool, clean, fresh outside air.
Remove humidity, odors, pet dander and smoke in minutes.
Naturally cool down those hot sleepless nights.

- What if I have solar and feel I don’t need to “save” any power with a whole house fan?
You're HVAC system gets wear and tear from over or extra use. HVAC Maintenance and service is expensive as where a whole house fan costs pennies to run all day.
Reducing power usage is a great way to lower pollution, strain on public utilities and reduce power outages.

“The Whole House Fan is the single most effective tool to reduce your energy bill.” 

- Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)

“Whole house fans are the number one energy-saving device available” - So Cal Edison

The U.S. Dept. of Energy says: “Whole house cooling using a whole house fan can substitute for an air conditioner most of the year in most climates.”

- How do Whole house fans work?
Every night when the outside temperature drops to a comfortable level all you need to do is turn off your expensive AC, open some windows in rooms you want to rapidly cool down, then flip a switch and immediately feel a cool, clean, fresh breeze pull the outside air through your living spaces up and out your attic. This will not only cool down the house but the attic as well. This will keep your home much cooler all night and into the next day.

- How long does it take to cool my house down?
Depending on the size of your home a properly sized fan will exchange the air on your home in less than 10 minutes.
You will feel instant air movement. 

Whole house fans are literally a breeze on a switch! 

- Doesn’t My AC do the same thing on Fan only mode?
No. Not even close. Your existing air conditioner is a closed system that simply recycles the same inside air over and over again.
A whole house fan pulls cool, clean fresh air in from the outside of the home and removed the stale air from your home. 

- How much air does a whole house fan move?
5-10 times more air than your existing AC.

- What does a whole house fan cost to run?
Pennies per hour.

- What is the ROI on a whole house fan?

New variable speed motors have revolutionized the whole house fan industry by greatly reducing energy consumption which means you can see these fans pay for themselves in one to two years.
They will also save your costly HVAC system wear and tear and maintenance fees in the long run. 

- Do you also install the old belt drive whole house fans? Are they cheaper?
Yes. We install belt drive, wall mount and other speciality fans.
Yes. They are much cheaper. Cost is typically less than the modern fans.
They are loud. Really loud but the new variable speed motors are pretty darn efficient.

- Will a whole house fan work in my house?
Yes. 95% of conventional homes with an attic are suitable. On rare occasion a home will not have an attic suitable for a whole house fan in which case we can try and select one of quite cools specialty fans.  

- Can a whole house fan be installed without an attic?
Yes. We carry a line of specialty fans that can be installed in a wall or roof application without an attic space.
We have even installed a specialty unit on a window!
*Old belt drive units cannot be installed without a traditional attic.

- How long does installation take?
Once onsite the installation will only take 2-3 hours for a typical install.
Large homes and commercial applications vary by project.
We will come out and verify proper attic venting requirements are meet, determine the best location for the installation in your attic, plastic off an area in your home, cut one hole in the ceiling for the ducting and the rest is out of sight out of mind in the attic!
You will see the louvers in the ceiling and a nice wall switch that has an 8hr timer and fan speed control.

- Does this tie into my existing HVAC?
No. This is a separate fan system that costs pennies to run compared to your central AC.


- What if I have allergies?
Quiet cool offers a Pollentec window screen material and we have the ability to replace a few select window screens with a new screen material that will filter 99% of the allergens that would be pulled into the home.

- Are they noisy?
They are in installed in the attic so they are no louder than a floor fan on high in your room.
Compared to traditional belt drive whole house fans the new units are very quiet. 

- Do I have to open all my windows for the whole house fan to work?
No. We recommend that you only partially open the windows nearest the room(s) you would like to cool down first each evening. Then you can close them and move to another room as you get ready for sleep. Then partially open the bedrooms for sleeping.
You do have to open some windows as whole house fans pull a very large amount of air. If you leave all the windows closed the system will not work and air may be pulled in from other open venting systems inadvertently.

- What if I don’t like leaving my windows open at night?
You can easily install a lock on your windows or a dowel rod that will only leave 2-4” open on select windows.

- What if I’m worried about falling asleep and leaving the fan on all night?
Every installation comes with a timer buttons that has preset intervals. I.e. 1/2/4/8 hrs then it will auto shut off.
The fans are incredible efficient and only cost pennies to run per day.

- Is there a warranty on the fans and installation?
Yes. Each manufacturer has their own warranty period. Most are near 15 years for the top tier fans likes Quiet Cool, Zephyr and others.
Installation/craftsmanship is warranted for 10 years.

- Isn’t the air in my home cleaner than outside air?
According to the EPA not necessarily. Some homes indoor air quality is 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Due to common household products that contain VOC’s and other chemical off gassing from furniture, clothes, carpets, paint etc.

- What’s the difference between a whole house fan and a central HVAC system?
A whole house fan removes your indoor air and replaces it with fresh outdoor air.
A HVAC system recycles the same air inside your home over and over cooling it a little bit each time.

- Can I use my AC and a whole house fan at the same time?
No. Typically a whole house fan will be used first thing in the morning, evenings and throughout the night if desired with the AC off.

- Do the fans need any maintenance?
No. Top tier fans like Quiet Cool, Zephyr and others are virtually maintenance free and require no service or maintenance ever.
Yes on belt drive units. The good units motors will last a lifetime but the belts will need to be replaced.

- What are the attic venting requirements?
Most high (CFM) Cubic feet per minute fans require approx. 1 square foot of net free exhaust area (N.F.A) for every 750 CFM roughly. Most homes that meet construction code requirements will have sufficient venting.

​

FAQ From the Manufacturer

​

 1. What is the difference between Trident and STL?
The Trident Pro and Stealth Pro are very similar. The main difference lies in the motor
technology. The Trident model uses a PSC motor, which offers standard energy
efficiency, while the Stealth model uses an ECM motor which is extremely energy
efficient. The difference between the two is similar to a hybrid vs non-hybrid vehicle; both
are very efficient with one being more efficient. The Stealth model will save the customer
more money in the long run. If the customer plans on living in the home more than five
years, then its a Stealth model. When running the fans on medium or low, the fan
operates extremely efficiently.

2. How much energy does QuietCool use? Cost per month?
Most people run their fans for 4-8 hours a day during the summer months. For a 500-
watt fan, this would equate to about $.60 - $1.20 per day in California (energy rates at
$.30 per kWh). This equates to about $18-$36 per month. QuietCool uses up-to 1/15 th of
the amount of energy an A/C unit uses. QuietCool fans have one of the fastest ROIs of
any green energy product on the market today.

3. How loud is QuietCool?
QuietCool is very quiet! Our loudest fan is rated at 51 decibels, which is about the same
as a dishwasher. An average A/C intake grille operates at 50-52 dB while our average
decibel rating across all fans is 45 db.

4. What happens if I don't have any windows open?
The system will not work properly because the air must come from somewhere. If the
system is running with no windows open, it can pull ashes rom the fireplace.

5. How much ventilation do I need?
We have a simple calculation to figure out how much venting you need for your system.
For every 750 CFM in the system, you will need 1 SQFT of net free vent area.
Example: A Trident Pro has approx. 4800 cfm; to figure out how much venting you will
need, you will need to divide 750/4800= 6.4 sq. ft.

6. What is the difference between the classic series and pro series?
The pro series line of fans come with all the bells and whistles, such as removable grille,
15 year warranty, switch and timer already included in the box. Also, the pro series fans
have more power and speed options. The classic series is an older model with less features. 

 

7. Can I run these fans all night long?
Yes, they’re running on pennies an hour and you will get the benefit of cooling down the
structure of your home, so you don’t have to run your AC nearly as much the next day.
We recommend running the system on high speed for a few hours and then kick it on
low speed and see how cool you can get your house by the next morning. The longer
you run the system the more effectively your house will be truly cooled
off.

8. What kind of controls do you have?
We have a switch and timer that is included in every box. QC is proud to launch one of
the most innovative smart controls to ever hit the market. We now have a Wi-Fi smart
control app that you can control the fan off any smart phone or tablet. This will allow your
customers to be able to control the fan upstairs or down stairs and your customer can
literally control their fan anywhere in the house and even in their bed. You can also
control the speeds and timer as well. This will allow you to offer one of the first smart
appliances in each every customers home.

 

9. Do you have a remote?
No, because we have a Wi-Fi smart control app that is a lot more innovative and user
friendly. Most homeowners will lose a remote and being able to operate the fan on any
phone or tablet makes it so much easier to use your system.

10. Is there any maintenance on the system?
You only need to clean your grille. The grille may collect dust over time. Most people
want to clean their grille every few months. It is dishwasher safe or you can simply take it
outside and hose it off and simply snaps back into place without any screws.

 

11. Will the fans affect my insulation?
No, as long as the system is sized properly and is installed at a 90-degree bend angled
slightly upwards. We use this technique to prevent any blown-in insulation from moving
around. If you have a very small attic and your fans are very difficult to suspend slightly
above 90 degrees, you can always buy a few pieces of batt insulation to put over the
blown insulation.

12. Can I hook it up to a thermostat?
No, because you have to have the human element of opening up the windows.

 

13. Can you direct vent it to the outside?

We do not recommend venting directly to the outside because you want to pressurize
the attic and cool it down. One of the biggest features of a whole house fan is cooling
your attic air by up to 50 degrees.

 

14. How long does installation take?
Hard wiring a system can take up to 1-2 hours but with new Wi-Fi smart control you can
install the system under an hour almost every time. The Wi-Fi smart control eliminates
all wiring. No more dropping wire down the wall and spending extra time wiring up the
fan. The fan will come with a 20 ft. power cord making it plug-n- play.

15. Do you have to make holes in the wall? Do you repair them?
We will have to make a hole in the ceiling for the grille, but it will be covered and all you
will see is our grille. If a switch and timer is installed on the wall that will be a little cut out
for junction box.

In the event there are other drywall holes cut due to obstructions can patch, match texture and color match at an additional cost.

 

16. How big is the grille?
Depends on the size of the fan you get.
Our sizes are: 14 x 14, 14 x 18, 14 x 22, 14 x 30, 14 x 36
They’re all designed to fit 16” on center, the reason behind the engineering design is to
never have to cut any joist or frame any damper box in.

17. Where is the fan installed?
When installing only one fan, we recommend centrally locating the system located,
usually right above the staircase or in the hallway.
When installing a second fan for the master bedroom and doing a zoned system, we
recommend putting the fan in front of the bedroom door or in the master bathroom. The
key is positioning the fan at furthest spot from the windows, this will allow the air to be
pulled all the way across the room allowing you to take advantage the breeze coming
across your bed.

18. Will I feel attic air coming back into the house?
No, as long as you have enough venting for your system. If you stick to the formula of
sizing at 1/750 you will have no problems with air returning back down into your home.

 

19. When I heat the home in the winter, will the heat go into the attic?
Yes, the fan will bring the air into the attic and warm it up or if you run it to long it can
cool the entire attic by pushing out the warm air through your attic vents. I wouldn’t worry
about this happening because you will never want to run your heater at the same time as
your QuietCool.

 

20. How do I clean the grille?
If you have a removable grille the middle piece pops right off. On the Classic line of fans
you have to take the screws out with a screwdriver. We recommend cleaning your grille
every 6 months. It is dishwasher safe or even take it outside and hose it off for easy
cleaning.

21. Do you have to have your windows open?
Yes, because that’s where the outside air is going to be drawn in from. You can only
bring as much air in as you can push out. This is why having 2-3 windows open at a time
allows a lot of airflow to come in.

22. Will the fan cool my room if my door is closed?
If you don’t have a separate system for your own personal room, then you must keep the
doors open in each bedroom. We have 6 different ranges of fans in each fan line to
accommodate smaller bedrooms as well as larger units to cool the entire home.

23. Will the fan bring in dirt or dust?
There is so much CFM being moved inside the home that the dust doesn’t have time to
settle. Also, we sell a screen that prevents 99% of all allergens, pollens, and dust from
coming into your home. This product is called PollenTec that is installed in place of your
existing screen.
Will the fan bring in pollen?
There is so much CFM being moved inside the home that the dust doesn’t have time to
settle. Also, we sell a screen that prevents 99% of all allergens, pollens, and dust from
coming into your home. This product is called PollenTec that is installed in place of your
existing screen.

24. How fast is the return on investment (ROI)?
QuietCool fans with a PSC motor (Trident and Classic) have an ROI average of 2 ½
years. The Stealth has an ROI average of 3 ½ years. QuietCool has one of the fastest
ROIs of any green energy product on the market today. With solar, insulation, and
upgraded windows having a 10+ year ROI, QuietCool is a simple choice. If you finance
the QuietCool system, you will be instantly be putting money in your pocket every month
due to the savings.

 

25. Do I need QuietCool if I already have solar?
Yes, because you can save a lot more energy and sell that energy back to the enrgy
companies for credit. You also may not need as many panels on your roof which will
bring down the cost tremendously. Your A/C bill makes up 60-80% of your utility costs
during the warmer months and if you can save up to 90% of the usage with a whole
house fan, this will allow clients with solar to be able to live a much more
comfortable lifestyle. A big issue going on in the solar industry is that once a homeowner gets a system installed, they think they can live at a much more comfortable lifestyle by running theirA/C system more often without an electric bill. However, the homeowner will realize the first month after running their A/C more often that their bill is the same as it was before solar! The solar system they purchased was sized to accommodate their old lifestyle (eg.78 degrees) not their new lifestyle (eg. 72 degrees).

 

26. Do I need an attic fan to remove the air out of the attic, while using the whole house fan?

No, but we always recommend adding an attic fan to your QuietCool whole house fan system because the attic fan can run during the day and help prevent the attic from reaching high temperatures. In result, this will allow your whole house fan to run much more effectively.

 

27. How does the air escape out of the attic?

The air escapes your attic by the whole house fan creating positive pressure and pushing the air out of your attic vents.

 

28. Can the fan use a programmable timer?

No, because a programmable timer works just like a thermostat and you will always need the human element of opening windows for the system to work properly.

 

29. Are there rebates for the fan?

Yes! Check your area local area for utility rebates. We try to maintain a list of current rebates. Please visit our Rebates page for more info.

 

30. Are there any tax savings with energy?

No, there are not any tax savings benefits with the system.

 

31. Is there financing available?

Yes! There are programs out there such as HERO (payment plan tied to your property taxes), and Aqua Financing, Ygreene (typical financing plan based off credit qualifications). Give us a call to discuss available options.

 

32. Do the fans require a permit?

Whole house fans typically do not require a permit, but many times we will have to get a permit if we're doing a utility rebate for a customer or if your local building codes require it.

 

33. Are these fan Energy Star qualified?
No, there is no Energy Star category for whole house fans.

34. How long do the fans last for?
QuietCool fans can last up to 30 years but we lead the industry with a 15-year warranty.

 

35. Can I use these fans during the winter time?
Yes, we recommend during the colder months to get a few air exchanges per day during
the warmer times of day to improve the indoor air quality, especially if any family
member had gotten sick recently. This will help keep the home healthy and even warm
the house during the day.

36. How many windows do I need to open?
We recommend to only have 2-3 windows with an opening of 4-6 inches. This will help
maximize your airflow. If you open all your windows it will cool your home but you won’t
feel as strong a breeze as if you only opened 2-3 windows.

37. Can these fans be used in my garage?
Yes, if you open up your garage door you can cool it by simple cracking your garage
door or opening a window.

38. Can I install the fan down stairs on a two story home?
Typically you cannot install a fan down stairs on a multi-story home because there is not
an attic on the first floor. However, there are some homes that have multiple attics that
could allow this type of installation.

39. Can I wire my controls upstairs and downstairs?
Typically no because of the fire blocks between stories and the fan controller only allows for one switch location. This can make it very difficult to
retrofit the controls downstairs but we can offer this service if desired as an extra.
We now are offering the Wi Fi Smart Control that allows customers to control the fan
from anywhere in the home with their smart phone or tablet. Still in BETA. 

40. How much clearance do I need in my attic?
You will need a minimum of 30” of clearance.

41. How will I know if this fan will fit through my attic access?

Every fan is designed to fit through the attic access or even the ceiling cut out. Simply
remove the duct from the housing and everything will fit right through the ceiling cut out.

 

42. Can you run the fans during the day?
We only recommend running your fans any time is it cooler outside than inside your
home. We recommend running the fan during the day if it is during the winter months.

 

43. What will happen if I don't have enough ventilation?
Lack of ventilation is not a serious issue; however, the fan will not perform at the highest
level. When air is pushed into the attic from the fan, the pressure will force some of the
air back down your wall cavities and back into the home.

44. What happens if my furnace is in the attic?
We do not recommend running your furnace at the same time as your fan because you
will be pushing out all the warm and expensive conditioned air.

 

45. Can I hook it up to my home automation system?
No, you cannot hook it up to your home automation system because you need to have
open windows.

46. Do I have to run a dedicated circuit?
No, but we recommend the higher CFM units (greater than 4000 CFM) to be ran on a
dedicated circuit.

47. Can I run my AC and fan at the same time?
Yes, you can but we do not recommend it because it would be a very expensive way to
cool your home.

48. What if I don't want to sleep with my windows open?
You will have to sleep with windows open but we provide two window locks in every box
to help mitigate security concerns. Simple wooden poles can also be installed. 

49. What if it doesn't cool off at night?
In most climates there are only about 2-3 weeks of the year where it won’t cool off in the
evening where A/C will be the only solution. That makes up about 5% of the cooling
hours of the year. This is how QuietCool can still save you up to 90% off your A/C
related costs.

50. Can you run the system year-around?
Yes, you can run the QuietCool all year long.
One of the big factors is the geographical territory you live in. In dry climates, like
California, you will use the fans a lot more in the spring, summer and fall. Other places
like Arizona, Palm Desert and Nevada you can use the fan every season besides
summer. It will still cut out huge amounts of energy during the majority of the year.

 

51. What if I don’t have an attic?
Our roof mounted attic fan series is a great option for flat roof homes without an attic.

 

52. Is the ECM motor quieter than the PSC?
There isn’t a huge difference in sound between the two different motor types but the
ECM motor has a delayed wind up that allows the fan to turn on and off quieter.

 

53. Do you have roof mounted fans?
Our Roof Mounted fan series is a great option for flat roof homes.

 

54. Do the fans work in humid climates?
In humid climates it is typically very humid in the middle of the day with lower humidity
levels at night time allowing you to run the fans effectively overnight. If the humidity level
does not lower during the night, you can even run the fans for 1-2 hours to exhaust the
stale air in your home with the cooler outdoor air and then shut all your windows and
allow your A/C to dehumidify the air.

 

55. Does it completely replace A/C?
UCLA did a study back in 2012 claiming you can eliminate your A/C usage in 10 of the
16 climate zones in California.
The Department of Energy claims that whole house fans are the most cost effective way
to cool your home.
We believe our QuietCool system is the perfect companion appliance to A/C rather than
a replacement. Some clients have reported using only a whole house fan and a wall unit.

 

56. Is the grille paintable?
The removable egg crate grille comes with a nice white glossy finish. We would not
recommend painting the grille, however, it can be done if you desire.

57. What is the difference between QCM fans and the fans sold by My Green Home Design?
Our fans are much quieter, more energy efficient, look nicer, and are much easier to
install. Our fans are also rated on the CEC (California Energy Commission) website
while the fan and blade they use are not rated. We also have an R5 rated gravity
damper system which prevents air transfer between the home and attic. Their fans have
no insulation value.

58. What is the difference between QCM  fans and the fans sold by the Whole House Fan
Company?

Our fans are much quieter, more energy efficient, look nicer, and are much easier to install. Our fans are also rated on the CEC (California Energy Commission) website while the fan and blade they use are not rated. We also have an R5 rated gravity damper system which prevents air transfer between the home and attic. Their fans have no insulation value.

 

59. What is the difference between QCM fans and the fans sold by Airscape?

Our fans are much cheaper, more energy efficient, and are much easier to install.Airscape does not include pre-assembled damper boxes (some even take up to 46 screws to install!) and are much more complex.

 

60. What is the difference between QCM fans and the fans sold by Comfort Cool?

Our fans are much cheaper and move much more CFM than what they claim on their website. On their website they inform customers to size 1 CFM per sq.ft., but to truly size home it is 2 CFM per sq.ft.