How To Repair Attic Fan Motor

The cause of the problem could be the belt.

How to repair attic fan motor.

With fan off go into the attic. Then unplug the fan and remove the motor plate photo 2. Spray some lubricant wd 40 or similar into the air ports at the top bottom of the air holes in the fan housing for about 3 to 5 seconds. A fan that won t run is often caused by a failed motor or a bad thermostat.

Some motor plates release by pressing or prying on the side of the fan housing. Next strip the ends of the wires of the new motor. If the fan comes on you have an electrical problem in the circuit the attic fan is on. It s best to hire an electrician to deal with electrical problems.

Most fans have an on off switch that bypasses the fan s thermostat. Shield the twisted wiring connections with wire caps. If there s a problem with the belt replace it with a new one. Others are secured with a screw or two.

Take your new motor and place it into the fan. Alternatively there will be a bracket that holds the motor in place. Fix the wires into the correct positions using your pair of pliers. Remove this by taking off the wires making a note of which ones belong where and unscrewing the motor from the base.

If however the fan still doesn t turn on the problem is most likely with the fan motor or the thermostat. Match the colors of the wires and then twist the ends of the bare wires together. You ll need to take out the outer casing of the fan and look to see if the belt is cracked sagging worn out or broken. Turn off the power to the fan at the main breaker panel.

Using wire strippers strip the ends of the wires that you cut when you removed the old attic exhaust fan motor. The bolts may be attached to the fan motor itself. Sometimes you face an issue where the attic fan s motor comes on but the fan blades don t move. Remove the mounting bolts that hold the motor onto the steel flange.

Tap the motor a few times with the handle end of a hammer or piece of wood as if you were swatting a bug.