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scmoose

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My upstairs air handler is in the attic. I have soffit vents to draw air in, and a ridge vent to vent air out. Would the addition of a thermostatically controlled attic fan help? Seems this topic if pretty controversial. Seems to be more opinions against it. Seems like 100 deg in the attic would be easier on my air handler than 140 deg. What say yeh.
 
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i'm against it. neighbors across the street had an attic fire due to a fan motor burning up. luckily i cam home for lunch that day and my wife saw smoke. after investigation I was able to get the occupant out of the house quickly, cut the power to the fan motor, and extinguish the fire (all while FD was en route)
 
In my previous house, the upstairs air handler was in an unconditioned "attic" space and it never seemed to be an issue. It's the air handler that is exchanging energy with the coil, not a compressor or anything. As long as the unit is rated for the temperatures, I wouldn't bother.
 
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140 degree air is not being pulled into the system. And my bet is most people don’t understand how well insulated that system is. I didn’t until I replaced mine.

Correctly sizing and installing the system and getting it insulated right are the important things as I understand it.
 
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IMHO it's not needed.

Back in 2006 I pulled a Chrysler air handler and gas furnace out of an attic in a building that started as a road tractor shop in 1954 then converted several times and finally a strip club sometime in the late 1990s.
Chrysler brand sold out in 1976.

That unit ran between 45 and 50 years with no vent whatsoever as it had a flat roof.
 
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