I have a newly built home (2000) with plenty of soffit vents. But several of my neighbors have added attic fans to supplement ventilation in their attics. They all say their upper levels are much cooler and they are very satisfied with the results (I have not been in their homes to testify this--perhaps I should). But my builder says an attick fan really isn't that neccessary, that it doesn't 'cool' that much, it needs to be replaced frequently (5 years), and it can sometimes be noisy. On really hot days, I can tell that my top floor is not as cool as the lower floor (naturally), but does an attic fan really help this variation in temperature? Is it worth putting in an attic fan if I already have what appears to be adequate ventilation? What are the pros and cons of attic fans in my situation? Thanks in advance for your time. Greg

My 55 year old home does not take any water in through the walls during heavy rain, but I do notice small reoccuring wet spots on the carpet in the finished half. I've never seen standing water, only slightly damp carpet. The other half is unfinished and does not appear to be taking water anywhere. In general, the basement is pretty humid (dehumidifier runs a lot) and seems to be more humid after it rains. My questions are: 1) If this was a drainage problem, wouldn't I be seeing water in the basement walls first? 2) Would I benefit from the installation of a sump pump? 3) Would ripping up the carpet and sealing the floor help resolve the humidity problem?