Vertical Damper Installation, Part 1: AirScape Models

Over the years ve’ve also fielded a lot of questions from customers wanting to know if our fans’ dampers can be installed vertically (i.e. in a wall rather than over a ceiling) or at an angle on top of a vaulted ceiling. The short answer to both questions is “yes”, but there are some important limits that need to be considered, which we’d like to go over. Please note: this blog post is limited to our line of AirScape fans—Kohilo models will be covered in a future post.

Let’s first consider our “e-series” line of ducted fans (the 2.5e, 3.5e, 4.4e, and 5.0e). Each model in this series features a fan that is suspended from the attic’s rafters and connected by flexible ducting to an actuated, insulated damper. The drawing below shows one of these dampers with its three axes labeled.

DB26 X,Y,Z

These dampers can be installed vertically or at an angle, but you must first consider the damper’s orientation. As you can see in the diagram below, these dampers can be installed “tilted” backwards or forwards, even so far as to be completely vertical.  However, the damper box should never be titled to either side, or tilted backwards or forwards and rotated about its center. Installing the damper in such fashion(s) subjects its actuators and door hinges to asymmetric stresses that could cause them to fail prematurely.

Mechanical Damper Orientations

Secondly, it is important to remember that the control box and actuators mounted to the damper box need to be accessible for us to provide you with technical support. If they are not accessible, you may have to completely uninstall the fan to perform even rudimentary maintenance on it. Keeping these items easy to reach could save a great deal of hassle in the future.

Vertical Damper Framing (hi res)

Finally, if it is installed vertically or at an angle, longer wood screws than those provided should be used to mount the damper box to the framing (2½″ at minimum). We also recommend using additional framing to support the damper box on its “downhill” side, as shown in the drawing below.

Our 1.7 model can be installed vertically or on a slope in similar fashion. The unit can be installed “tilted” backwards or forwards, but not side to side, or both tilted and rotated:

 

1.7 Damper Orientations

The constraints on installing the 1.0 model are much tighter. 1.0 fans must be installed either: 1) perfectly level; or, 2) perfectly vertical (i.e. perpendicular to level). As shown below, these fans must never be installed on a slope, or tilted side to side, or vertically and rotated. These fan’s large single doors are simply too heavy to be mounted at an angle…doing so would result in their sudden failure.

1.0 Vertical Orientations

As with the ducted models, you should use longer wood screws than those provided when installing the 1.7 or 1.0 fans vertically. If possible, you should also install additional supportive framing as well. If you need any further assistance in your installation, contact AirScape technical support by email at experts@airscapefans.com, or by phone at 1.866.448.4817.

… and stay tuned for our discussion on installing our Kohilo fans!