• What is whole house cooling?

Whole house cooling is a method of cooling homes that takes advantage of the natural temperature differential that often exists between indoors and outdoors. Whole house cooling is accomplished by pushing heated air out of the home through the attic and drawing in cooler outside air. By moving cooler air through the home at a moderate rate, heat is removed.



• Is whole house cooling like air conditioning?

Not exactly. Whole house cooling will reduce the temperature inside the house to the outdoor temperature, but not below.



• When do I use whole house cooling?

Any time the outdoor temperature is lower than the indoor temperature. Simply open a window and turn the equipment on. The open window will supply cooler air to replace the hot air that the equipment is exhausting.



• Why must I open a window?

In order to bring cooler air in, it must be drawn in from the outside. If you run the equipment without a window open, you run the risk of creating negative pressure in the house which can cause dangerous fumes back drafting from your gas appliances; such as a stove, clothes dryer or hot water heater. You may want to consider installing a thermal safety switch.



• Can I use air conditioning and whole house cooling?

Yes, but not at the same time. Use the whole house cooler to reduce the internal temperature then run the air conditioning unit. Use of a whole house cooler prior to air conditioning can reduce your A/C costs by up to 30%.



• Are there drawbacks to whole housing cooling?

Traditional whole house cooling equipment is noisy, difficult to install, and requires maintenance.  It also "short circuits" your attic insulation, reducing the energy efficiency of your home.  Traditional systems are power hungry and detract from the appearance and comfort of your home.  All these drawbacks are eliminated by the revolutionary HV1000 and HV1600 Whole House Fans.



• What is the difference between an "attic fan" and a "whole house fan"?

Whole house fans are sometimes confused with attic fans because whole house fans are typically installed in an attic.  The traditional description for an attic fan is a fan that is installed in the roof or gable end of the structure and removes hot air only from the attic. The whole house fan not only removes the hot air from the attic, but cools your home as well.  It is installed inside the structure, typically on the floor of the attic.



• What size whole house cooler do I need?

It depends on the size of your home or space to be cooled.  Our Tamarack Whole House Fan Model HV1000 is perfect for homes up to 2,500 square feet. For larger homes, consider the Whole House Fan Model HV1600 Gold.

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• How will an HV save me money?

The Tamarack HV will save you money in several ways.  The obvious savings will be reflected in your electric bill.  Use of the HV will reduce the need for you to run your air conditioner.  Read more about the cooling savings properties in our HV1000 Technical Evaluation. Other savings come in the form of preventative maintenance of your home.  Properly ventilating your home and attic can save you from having to perform costly renovations in your attic, the roof and the structure itself.



• How is the HV revolutionary?

In about every possible way!  The HV is quiet, simple to install, energy efficient, has a built in insulating system, requires no maintenance and has a small, discreet grille.



• How quiet is quiet?

The HV1000 is about as quiet as a good refrigerator. The HV1600 model is noticeably louder than the HV1000.



• Where do I put an HV?

The HV should be placed on the framing between the space to be cooled and the attic.  In most cases that means the attic floor, but the HV can also be mounted vertically to cool cathedral or vaulted spaces.  Locate the system as close to the center of the home as possible for an even draw throughout the home.



• Should I install the HV on the roof or on the gable ends?

Neither.  The HV is not designed to be installed on a roof or gable end.  The HV must be protected from the elements.  It is installed on the floor of your attic, inside the home.



• How efficient is the HV?

The HV uses 116 watts (HV1000) or 276 watts (HV1600) of power while the fans are running, 6 watts when the insulated motorized doors are opening or closing, and 0 watts when turned off. The doors are insulated to R-22 (R38 is optional) to minimize conductive heat loss or gain when the fans are not operating. Both doors are fully gasketed, like a refrigerator, to ensure a tight seal.



• No maintenance at all?

That is correct!  The fans are sealed and permanently lubricated.



• Will an HV cool my house?

There are many variables that will determine how quickly a whole house cooler can cool a home; the size of the home, inside and outside temperatures, attic area etc. The HV1000 will change all the air in a 1,500 square foot house in about 12 minutes and the HV1600 in about 7.5 minutes



• How does it look for inside my home?

The grille for the HV is a low profile, slotted grille, similar to an air conditioning grille.



• What else do I have to buy?

All you will need is wire to install the fan and an electrical box for the switch.  The HV comes with a lighted on/off switch, weather stripping to seal where the HV meets the frame, a grille and all mounting hardware.



• What is the warranty for the HV?

Three years, parts and labor.



• Can the HV be mounted vertically?

Absolutely!  HV's are often installed in knee walls are are often used to cool cathedral or vaulted spaces.  Tamarack's standard HV is shipped with a grille designed to be used in attic/ceiling installation.  If you would like to install your HV vertically, a vertical grill can be purchased.



• How long does it take to install the HV?

Under normal circumstances, it should take about 2 hours to install the system. Of course, times will vary depending on the location of the unit and the wiring set up of your home.



• How Long Has This Been Around?

Using a Whole House Fan has been around for many years. The Tamarack HV line has been in use for over 9 years. Starting with the HV1000 and added HV1600 series in 2002, HV1600-2 Speed Series in 2004. There are thousands of happy and smart homeowners who have installed these fans across the United States and Canada.

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