Hey there!  

QuietCool is the most popular whole house fans on the market and one of Jantz Electrical's most popular products so we put together a guide breaking down QuietCool’s large, overlapping, and often confusing whole house fan lineup into the handful of fans we think are worth buying.

For more information on what a whole house fan is and how it works Click Here to read a Learning Center post covering those topics.

In this guide we will cover:

• How to Size a Whole House Fan to a Home
• What are the Best QuietCool Models
• QuietCool Fan Sizes Overview
• Control Options
• Attic Fans
• Cost and Return on Investment

How to Size a Whole House Fan to a Home

QuietCool recommends installing a whole house fan with at least 2 cubic feet per minute (cfm) of air flow per square foot of home. In our experience most people will be happiest with 3 cfm of air flow or the largest fan that their attic venting will support.

A larger fan running on low is more efficient than a small fan running on high and will be quieter for the same amount of airflow. The option to really move some air is always great too!

Which QuietCool models are best?

QuietCool sells 4 different lines of whole house fans: Classic,Energy Saver, Trident Pro, and Stealth Pro.  The Classic and Energy Saver lines are the ones sold to consumers through Amazon or similar retailers and the Trident and Stealth models are sold through QuietCool dealers like Jantz Electrical.

Seems confusing right?

The first thing you need to know is Classic = Trident and EnergySaver = Stealth. If you can get Trident and Stealth fans, do it. They have the advantage of a 15 year warranty vs 10 year and come with switches included in the box.

So, the real choice is Classic/Trident vs Energy Saver/Stealth. (We’ll call them Trident and Stealth from here on.) Trident fans have a brushed PSC motor and are 2 speed fans while Stealth fans have a more efficient brushless ESC motor and most have 3 speeds.

In our experience the Trident fans make sense in 3 scenarios:

• You have a small home (under 1,200 sq. ft.) that only needs a 3.3 to cool.
• Because of some circumstance the fan will only run for short periods of time, mostly on high.
• It is a secondary small fan used to cool a specific room like a master bedroom suite with the door closed to the rest of the house.

In all other cases we feel the Stealth line is the best choice because:

• They are more efficient, especially on low
• On average they are 2-3 decibels quieter
• 3 speeds gives more options for you to find the perfect balance of airflow, noise, and energy use

What About the Fan Sizes?

QuietCool has 7 different fan sizes in each line. That’s a lot! But don’t worry, you can ignore about half of them.

Let’s break it down:

• 1.5 – Skip it. It’s too small for any purpose.
• 2.5 – Good for a master bedroom suite. Get the Trident version.
• 3.3 – The smallest fan I would recommend for a home. Get the Trident.
• 4.8 – Great fan for homes from 1,200 to 1,900 sq. ft. From here on Stealth is the way to go.
• 5.5 – The best choice for 1,900 to 2,500 sq.ft.
• 6.0 – Skip it. For the specs and the price, it doesn’t make sense.
• 7.0 – The go to fan for homes from 2,500 to 3,500 sq. ft.

What do I Need to Know About Controls?

There are 3 control options for QuietCool Whole house fans, each with pros and cons. The options are: a remote, hardwired switches with a timer, or hardwired switches with a smart switch.

Remote

Pros:

• It's handy.
• Can be wall mounted or mobile.
• Has a built in timer.

Cons:

• It can be a little finicky to operate.
• There are batteries to replace.
• In general remotes are not as reliable as hardwired switches.

Hardwired switches (standard on Jantz installs)

Pros:

• Rock solid reliability.
• Can't be misplaced.

Cons:

• Limited install locations.
• Operates only from one location.

Hardwired switches with a smart switch combines the two options.

Pros:

• You can turn the fan on from your phone or connect it to Amazon Alexa / Google Home.
• Backup controls if the wireless doesn't work.
• Reliability more similar to hardwired switches than a remote.

Cons:

• Extra cost to install ($199 option).
• Less user friendly to set up. Recommended for someone with some interest in tech.
• Higher chance to turn the fan on when no one is home or without open windows.

Attic Fans - Redundant or Worth it?

Attic fans run during the hottest part of the day while whole house fans run at the coolest time so no, the fans aren't redundant. With their relatively low cost and energy use Attic Gable Fans (if you have a gable vent) are a good buy.

If you don't have a gable vent but do have a standard shingle roof an Attic Roof Mount Fan is a good choice.

Solar attic fans cost more and move much less air so I don't feel they are a good buy for most people.

A QuietCool Smart Attic Gable fan can be added to any installation for $499 while the Roof Mount Fan is $699 as an add on.

Cost and Return on Investment

Fans are great and all but what’s the bottom line? What will it cost and when does it pay off?

The great news is that when used as recommended, a QuietCool whole house fan with installation typically pays for itself in energy savings in 2-3 years. If you are the DIY type and donate your labor, it’s more like a 1 year pay off! Even casual investors know that a 40+% annual return on investment is amazing!

To close out the season strong QuietCool has announced a $300 price cut on most Stealth fan installations with smaller discounts available on 3.3 models and the Trident line. So far this discount is good for September only unless they elect to extend it.

Jantz Electrical's Recommended Fans and Prices

Getting Your Fan

To get more info, schedule an in home consultation, or to purchase a fan with or without installation, fill out the form below or call/text our QuietCool Sales Department at 209-769-4994.