Vetted: The Best Attic Fans for Today’s Home

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Stay cool when choosing the right method for ventilating your attic. See our top tips and recommendations ahead, and don’t miss our top picks!

Many consider attic insulation safe and effective, but direct sun on a roof can radiate heat into the attic space, which promotes moisture and mold growth. Attic fans help push hot air out while also pulling fresh, cool air in through the vents in the soffit, gables, and ridge.

To find the best attic fan, make sure the fan is high quality and fits your home’s needs and your preferences. Some might prefer whole-house fans or solar attic fans, but if you don’t want a hole in your roof, there’s an answer for that as well.

1. BEST OVERALL: AC Infinity Airlift T14 Shutter Exhaust Fan
2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: iLiving ILG8G14-12T Gable Mount Attic Ventilator Fan 
3. UPGRADE PICK: Natural Light 48-Watt Solar Attic Fan
4. BEST SOLAR OPTION: iLiving ILG8SF301A Hybrid Smart Solar Roof Attic Fan
5. BEST WHOLE-HOUSE FAN: QuietCool QC CL-3100 Whole-House Fan
6. BEST FOR GABLE VENTS: Cool Attic CX1500 Gable Mount Attic Ventilator
7. BEST WALL-MOUNTED: AC Infinity Airtitan T7 Wall-Mounted Ventilation Fan
8. BEST QUIET: QuietCool QC CL-4700 Whole-House Fan
9. BEST ROOF-MOUNT: Remington Solar 20-Watt Roof Mount Solar Attic Fan

How We Chose the Best Attic Fans

Choosing the right attic fan can be difficult with so many sizes, power source options, constructions, and special features included. Many of today’s attic fans come with solar-powered or electrical designs, most of which are made with galvanized steel, aluminum, or plastic constructions. Since many are roof-mounted attic fans, some come with built-in flanges to prevent moisture and leaks.

Size is also something to consider, as most roof-mounted attic fans can fit into a precut hole in the roof, while others may require a new or larger hole to be cut. Many of the above solar-powered roof-mounted attic fans also automatically turn on when the sun is out, while other electrical options run at programmed times. Though both come with programmable thermostats, some of the solar-powered picks listed above may require another thermostat for cooler temperatures.

Cubic feet per minute (CFM) and square footage covered are also important when choosing an attic fan. As such, the options above are made for small or large spaces with 537 to 3,126 CFM ratings. Finally, most of these picks run at silent or very quiet noise levels, so the residents hardly even know they are there.

Our Top Picks

The following products are a collection of top attic fans for home ventilation. Each model excels in its category and will do an excellent job of reducing the issues excessive heat can cause in an attic. Whether you prefer solar attic fans, gable vent fans, or a whole-house model, there’s a product here to suit most needs.

Best Overall

AC Infinity Airlift T14 Shutter Exhaust Fan

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Homeowners looking for a through-the-wall gable-style attic fan with all the bells and whistles should check out the AC Infinity Airlift T14. This high-tech attic fan features steel and aluminum construction, ensuring it can hold up to the rigors of attic ventilation. It produces up to 1,513 CFM, making it suitable for medium-size attics and even slightly larger spaces.

The Airlift T14 has some high-tech features as well. It has a fully programmable thermostat and humidity control, timers, alarms, speed adjustments, and more. All of these features are programmable from an LCD digital control panel. The entire system is also controllable from a Bluetooth-enabled app, and you can even link another attic fan to the control panel if you want more ventilation. It’s not solar, so it does require a power outlet, but the included cords total 28 feet from the outlet to the controller to the fan. It does produce 68 decibels, which might be slightly loud for a finished attic space.

Product Specs

• Material: Steel and aluminum
• Air volume (CFM): 1,513
• Noise level: Moderate

Pros

• Features durable steel and aluminum construction to allow it to withstand attic conditions
• Includes a digital controller with a built-in thermostat and humidity control
• Bluetooth-enabled app allows users to make adjustments from their phones instead of trekking to the attic
• It does require an outlet, but there is a total of 28 feet of wire from the plug to the controller to the fan

Cons

• It might be just slightly loud for a finished attic space

Get the AC Infinity Airlift T14 attic fan at Amazon or The Home Depot.

Best Value

iLiving ILG8G14-12T Gable Mount Attic Ventilator Fan

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For folks with access to their attic’s gables, iLiving’s gable-mount attic fan is a great option for moving air without cutting a hole in the roof. This model can be installed through the wall and capped outside with a vent cover to keep out pests and the weather.

This gable-mount attic fan features sturdy galvanized housing and a 3.1-amp motor that provides ventilation for up to 1,600 square feet of attic space. It also comes with a built-in thermostat that you can set to automatically activate and shut off the fan when the air gets to a certain temperature. For the value-minded shopper, this fan provides a lot of flow for the buck.

Two things to keep in mind about this gable-mount attic fan are that it does not come with an outside vent cover or louvers, and it requires hardwiring for power. It’s best installed near a gable vent.

Product Specs

• Material: Galvanized steel
• Air volume (CFM): 1,220
• Noise level: Low

Pros

• Sturdy construction means that it will last years in a tough attic environment
• 3.1-amp motor covers 1,600 square feet, which is plenty for most attic spaces
• Built-in programmable thermostat means the fan doesn’t have to run at all times

Cons

• This unit does need to be hardwired into an electrical circuit
• Does not come with an outside vent cover or louvers, so those will need to be an extra purchase

Get the iLiving ILG8G14-12T attic fan at Amazon, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, or Wayfair.

Upgrade Pick

Natural Light 48-Watt Solar Attic Fan

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Natural Light’s solar attic fan may cost more than the other fans on this list, but it comes with some serious chops. This attic fan installs on a shingle roof and uses a 48-watt solar panel to draw energy from the sun. This model from Natural Light can move over 1,881 cubic feet of air—an impressive feat for a solar-panel-powered fan.

While the amount of air this solar attic fan model moves is astounding, it’s another unit that goes full speed anytime the sun is out. Some folks may want to purchase a separate thermostat to shut the fan off when it’s not needed, preventing it from burning out prematurely.

Product Specs

• Material: Aluminum
• Air volume (CFM): 1,881
• Noise level: Not listed

Pros

• Built-in 48-watt solar panel allows it to operate without being wired or plugged into an outlet
• Covers over 2,825 square feet, making it more than sufficient for any large garage
• Adjustable angle from 0 to 45 degrees; 3/12 to 12/12 pitch roofs, allowing it to make the best use of sunlight regardless of the home’s positioning

Cons

• Cold-climate thermostat and fire-safety switch are sold separately

Get the Natural Light attic fan at Amazon.

Best Solar Option

iLiving ILG8SF301A Hybrid Smart Solar Roof Attic Fan

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iLiving has a penchant for developing quality ventilation products, and this solar model is about as good as it gets. This attic fan uses a positionable solar panel that produces enough wattage to produce a massive 1,750 cubic feet per minute of air movement—more than enough for the average attic space and four times the power of a typical air conditioner.

Besides airflow, some additional features make this solar-powered model stand out from the crowd. Unlike other solar models, this one has a controllable thermostat, so it doesn’t automatically run just because the sun is out. This will drastically increase the life of the fan. Users can also upgrade it by purchasing a separate 120-volt adapter, allowing the solar attic fan to run at night—helpful in scorching climates.

Product Specs

• Material: Aluminum
• Air volume (CFM): 1,750
• Noise level: Moderate

Pros

• Built-in 20-watt solar panel allows it to run during the day without house power
• IP68 waterproof brushless motor requires less solar power to run efficiently and should last for years
• Adjustable angles; 0, 15, 30, and 45 degrees, ensuring that it faces the sun regardless of the home’s positioning
• Smart thermostat control included to keep it from running unnecessarily; 65 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit

Cons

• Doesn’t come with a 120-volt adapter or screen guard, so those will have to be separate purchases

Get the iLiving ILG8SF301A attic fan at Amazon, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, or Overstock.

Best Whole-House Fan

QuietCool QC CL-3100 Whole-House Fan

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The QuietCool CL-3100 is a model that does away with the well-known inconveniences of older whole-house fans. This model uses an acoustically insulated duct to keep noise to a minimum while still moving a lot of air—3,009 CFM to be exact, which is enough to pull fresh air through an average-size home.

The QuietCool installs easily through the ceiling with a duct box that fastens to the ceiling joists. The fan itself is on the far end of the duct, minimizing noise in the living space. Vented into a large attic space, you probably won’t even notice that this fan is running.

The fan doesn’t have any insulated doors that shut when not in use, so warm air may make its way into the attic when you don’t want it to. A custom vent cover may help with this.

Product Specs

• Material: Aluminum
• Air volume (CFM): 3,009
• Noise level: Low

Pros

• Acoustically insulated duct and duct box included to keep noise to a minimum
• Built-in damper system blocks the fan and ductwork off from outside conditions when the fan’s not in use
• Easy to install since it’s designed to fit between ceiling joists

Cons

• Insulated doors not included; may require additional custom vent cover

Get the QuietCool CL-3100 attic fan at Amazon, Lowe’s, or The Home Depot.

Best for Gable Vents

Cool Attic CX1500 Gable Mount Attic Ventilator

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When mounting a fan in the corner of a gable, the fan needs to be powerful enough to pull air from across the attic to work properly. This CX1500 model from Cool Attic does just that. It has a built-in adjustable thermostat that, when activated, starts its 1,300 CFM fan, cooling attics of up to 1,850 square feet in a hurry.

Buyers will appreciate that this gable vent fan can be installed through an exterior wall instead of a hole in the roof. It’s also constructed of sturdy galvanized steel, so it should be durable against moisture for a long time.

This is another model that requires an electrician to run power to its location, which you may want to consider when factoring in cost. It also doesn’t come with louvers or doors to separate it from the outside.

Product Specs

• Material: Galvanized steel
• Air volume (CFM): 1,300
• Noise level: Not listed

Pros

• Built-in adjustable thermostat, so the fan doesn’t have to run at all times
• Covers over 1,850 square feet, which is plenty for most homes’ attics
• Affordable price point won’t require a huge investment to get some attic ventilation

Cons

• Requires a hardwire electrical connection as it doesn’t come with a plug
• Doesn’t come with louvers or doors to block it off from outside

Get the Cool Attic attic fan at Amazon.

Best Wall-Mounted

AC Infinity Airtitan T7 Wall-Mounted Ventilation Fan

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For homeowners with partially finished attics who want help controlling excessive heat, this AC Infinity Airtitan T7 fan might fit the bill. Thi