How Much Does an Attic Fan Cost?

Common Range: $230 – $790 Installed

National Average: $460, Installed

Updated: November 28, 2023. Written by: Steve Hansen

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Installed Cost of Attic Vent Fans

You can expect to pay an electrician or handyman around $320 to supply and install a no frills bathroom fan, replacing an existing unit. If you prefer to buy the vent fan yourself, expect to pay between $90-$210 for the installation only. If this is a new installation, expect to pay between $420 – $680 for the installer to run the vent duct and install a vent cap on the exterior. Note: It would be best to first consult an electrician to assure you have the proper wiring and capacity in place, or you may add costs for wiring. Expect

The average price for pro installation will include the fan, electrical connectors, removal of the old fan if you have one, as well as cleanup and disposal of the old unit. If this is for a new installation, they’ll also cut the hole in your ceiling, run the vent duct to an outside wall, eave or roof area.

Average Costs

Average Do It Yourself cost
$130
Average Contractor Installed Cost
$460
Typical Cost Average
$230 – $790, Installed

attic ventilator fan mounted on roof

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Overview of Attic Ventilation Fans

Powered and non-powered attic ventilation fans are commonly installed in the attics of homes in warmer climates where attic temps can reach to 130 degrees or more on a 90 degree day. When combined with adequate fresh air to allow outside air to enter the attic through the gables or soffit, powered attic fans can reduce the temperature in your attic and reduce the workload on your home HVAC system. For reference, attic vent fans are not the same as ceiling fans, which mount to your ceiling in a room and circulate the room air. Nor are the the same as whole house fans, which install in a ceiling, and vent the heat from the living area into the attic of a home.

Note that there has been a good bit of discussion on whether or not attic fans are good or bad, by people much more knowledgeable than me on the subject. A lot of that depends on your home construction, how tightly your attic is sealed from the living space, and how well your attic is already ventilated. Proper attic fan installation and more-than-adequate fresh air supply also play a big role. This is a difficult thing to know as a homeowner and it may be worth your time to talk to a HVAC company first, and get their opinion. The state of Georgia has gone as far as prohibiting grid powered fans completely, and the only type you can install are natural vents, turbine style vents or solar powered attic fans.

This Costimate focuses on the cost of attic vent fans. Powered, un-powered (turbine style fans, pictured above) and solar powered attic fans. We’ll share the estimated retail cost of the unit itself, as well as the cost of having your attic fan installed by an electrician, handyman or HVAC company. You’ll learn about the installation difference in roof of gable mounted systems, and also what other homeowners like you have paid to have their own installed at their home.

Attic Fan Cost Factors

Before you buy a fan, you need to decide whether a powered or turbine style fan is best for you. The turbine fans use no energy and rely on the heat rising inside the attic as well as gentle winds to turn it and vent the attic space. Powered attic vent fans need an electrical source of energy that comes either from your home electric system, or a solar panel, that is mounted on top of roof mounted unit, or a separate panel for gable mounted solar attic fans.

  • Fan Energy Source – Electric, Solar or Turbine.
  • Mounting Location – Roof mounted (Pictured above) or Gable Mounted fans
  • Controls and Features – Some fans have a built in thermostat, others have a thermostat as well as a humidistat, to automatically engage when high humidity is detected.
  • Air Flow Rate (CFM) – Higher air flow usually cost a bit more, but you need to be sure you have a larger amount of return air, to avoid creating negative pressurization in your attic.
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Cost of Attic Fan and Installation Supplies

Attic Fans

For the fan unit itself, you can estimate the following retail price range:

  • $50 – $100 | Non-Powered Turbine Style Vent
  • $65 – $150 | Electric Powered Roof or Gable Mounted Fans
  • $120 – $300 | Solar Powered Roof or Gable Vent Fans

Cost of Fan Installation Supplies

In addition to your fan, you’re going to need some other supplies to install an attic vent fan, regardless of which style you choose. Obviously, if you choose a solar or turbine style fan, you won’t need electrical supplies.

  • $35 – $100 | Electrical wire, junction boxes and a on/off switch. (For electric powered fans)
  • $10 – $20 | Roof cement or sealant to seal around mounting location and prevent roof leaks.
  • $15 – $100 | For Gable mounted vents, you’ll want an automatic shutter mounted on the exterior of your home to open when the fan is on.
  • $15 – $50 | Miscellaneous installation supplies like 2×4 wood, screws, nails, wire staples, plywood, etc.

Permits, Inspection, and Installation Costs

Powered attic fans may require an inspection by your local city or county electrical inspector since you are tying into the home electric grid system. This is done to assure the power was connected properly and does not present risk of electrical fires or overloading a circuit.

Permits and Inspection

  • $75 – $125 | Electrical inspection.
    In my town, technically, even if you’re replacing an existing fan, you are supposed to call out the town inspector to review the work and give you a green light to power it on.

Attic Vent Installation Labor Costs

Some companies charge a fixed price for installing attic fans, others will charge you an hourly rate per person, for the time their workers are at your home.

  • $45 – $80 per-hour | Handyman, HVAC Installer, Electrician, Roofer

Attic Fan Installation Time

When you estimate the time it will take to install your attic vent fan, use the following guide to get an accurate figure.

  • 1-2 hours | Simple replacement of nearly exact unit.
  • 2-4 hours | Most common installation time for replacements and new attic fans, without needing to add electrical service, wiring, etc.
  • 4-8 hours | Difficult installation, where new electric service needs to be run to the fan. Where you may need a new hole cut into the roof or side of gable, etc.
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We’ve found the projects listed below to be commonly related to attic exhaust fan installation, or other home improvement or repairs closely related to this type.

Are You a Pro Attic Fan Installer?

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DIY or Hire a Pro

DIY attic fan installation is a project that most homeowners can do on their own with the right skills and knowledge, and of course having the right tools. That said, if you need to cut a hole into the roof or run electrical service to a new fan, it might be best left to a Pro.

  • Requires working in a hot attic, with limited space.
  • Electric units require knowledge of home electrical systems, loads, wiring, etc.
  • You need to work on the roof for some units, you must be comfortable getting up and down a ladder.
  • You might need to get inspections by state officials.

I’ve only replaced 2 vent fans myself. One was to a gable sidewall, and the other was a roof mounted attic vent. Both were fairly simple 1-2 hour projects with wiring and just about everything else already in place. It was a simple DIY project for me, and I consider myself a 8/10 on the Handyman scale.

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Reviewed and edited by Steve Hansen of Costimates

steve hansen of costimates-sm Steve Hansen, that's me, the Senior Editor of Costimates. (Learn more about myself and our team) I'm an avid home improvement professional with more than 37 years experience working on all types of residential new home building, upfits, repairs and remodeling.

"Like most homeowners, I was frustrated with the lack of quality information available on specific home improvement repairs and renovations. In 2015, Costimates was formed to help homeowners learn as much as possible about various projects and their costs so they could make better financial decisions."