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Sound Reduction part 2 – Raised Frame

You may consider a raised frame for your 1.0 or 1.7 WHF for additional sound reduction. The raised frame increases the distance between the fan and living space. Like our ducted models, making the fan slightly more remote from the living space will decrease the overall sound level. The height of the frame will depend on the total vertical clearance of your attic. The construction is very simple and will add a few additional steps to your installation.

STEP 1: We made a raised frame using some scrap 2×4’s. The inside dimension is 14.5”x22.5” matching the framed opening. Secure the raised frame to the attic floor.

STEP 2:  Caulk all of the frame gaps and joints. Place the provided foam rubber gasket on top of the raised frame.

STEP 3: Secure the unit to the framing (1.7 WHF shown). From the living space caulk all gaps between the unit and the framing.

STEP 4: It’s not a bad idea to add some insulation around the raised frame. You can now follow the remaining steps in the installation and operation manual to finish your install.

PART 1 / PART 2


Sound Reduction part 1 – Duct Board

Your AirScape is already the quietest whole house fan on the market, but there are a few install techniques to make it even quieter. We’ve decided to dedicate a few blog entries to some techniques that will help with sound reduction.

We’ll start with a simple installation step that works with all AirScape models. You can easily line the inside of the framed opening (between the unit and grille) with duct board. Duct board is a resin bonded fiberglass board that has acoustic and insulative properties. The fibrous mat surface of the duct board helps absorb sound and allows for the smooth passage of air. The fiberglass body of this material usually has an insulation value of R-4. The duct board can easily be installed in new or existing installations using either adhesive or screws and flat washers. In fact, we love this material so much we lined one wall of our new office with it (our lead engineer’s rants on energy efficiency, life, and politics are a little more muffled now).

Duct board resources:

http://www.specjm.com/products/ductboard/enviroaire.asp

http://www.owenscorningcommercial.com/data/products/product.aspx?id=271

http://www.certainteed.com/products/insulation/hvac-mechanical/317382

PART 1 / PART 2


Installation for attics with loose fill insulation

Loose Fill Insulation

We often get asked if AirScape whole house fans can be installed in attics with loose fill insulation. The answer is yes, with one additional install step. The idea is to stop the insulation from being displaced by the air movement generated by the AirScape. We now offer a breathable synthetic fabric that can be placed on top of the insulation to stop any displacement. The installation is as simple as laying the material down in the attic where the fan discharges and tacking or weighting it down. The final step would be to turn the AirScape on and adjust the fabric material as needed.

The Loose Fill Insulation Cover (LFIC) is available in 9’x10′ sheets and can be found on any of the product pages on the website.

4.4e/4.5 Install: Low Attic Clearance

Often a WHF will not easily install in the traditional horizontal position. In some instances trusses or other obstructions will interfere with a normal installation. More often there is not enough clearance between the attic floor and the roof. One solution is to create a plenum box which the WHF will attach to. The plenum box can easily be constructed out of plywood and 2×4’s.  The red line in the photos represents the plenum box constructed for an AirScape 4.4e installation. The flexible ductwork and fan can then be mounted straight off of the damper box (the ductwork may have to angle slightly upward so that the fan does not touch the attic floor). A 90 degree bend in the ductwork is not necessary for sound attenuation in this application.

Installation Notes:

– Line the inside of the box with a layer of sheetrock to maintain any required fire ratings

– Use a sound attenuating duct liner for maximum sound reduction

– Seal all framing joints with latex caulk to make the box air tight

– Insulate the outside of the box to minimize heat loss

– Support any sags in the ductwork with additional chain

Foam Recycle Program – 1 Year Anniversary

The beginning of February marked the one year anniversary of our foam recycling program. In that time we reused or recycled 2412 cubic feet of foam. That’s two tons of waste saved from the landfill! According to wisegeek.com, 60 million tons of polyethylene foam is produced annually world wide. So we have saved .0000033% of the worlds foam polyethylene foam from entering the waste stream. When you look at our contribution as a percentage of the whole it’s just a drop in the bucket, but it’s a start. We know you’re thinking that it’s a small contribution, but let’s look at it in another way:

2412 cubic feet of foam is roughly equal to:

2,038,884  ping pong balls

110,616 Big Macs (our engineers favorite of course)

16,033  12-packs of beer (pairs well with the Big Macs)

9,614  basketballs

or

1  school bus

Where to find your AirScape model, version, and serial number

If you decide to add a remote kit after your initial purchase, the AirScape model, version, and serial number will be required in order to give you the correct remote for your unit. This information is also needed by our technical support staff to diagnose or troubleshoot an issue with your WHF.