Exhaust Fan Results in Static to Energy Conserver’s Radios

Question: As an energy conservation measure last fall, I installed a whole house fan. It works fine and certainly cuts down on the cost of air conditioning. Unfortunately, it also created a problem: whenever I use the fan, all the radios--including battery-powered portables--emit very bad static. I can reduce but not eliminate this static by changing the orientation of the battery-powered radios. Is there some kind of static suppressor, like those used in automobiles, that can solve my problem?

Answer: I talked to a fan expert and he said that your problem is so unusual that fan supply stores don’t even bother handling suppressors. He suggested checking with a nearby Radio Shack store for an RFI suppressor. The problem might not be in the fan, he said, but in the speed-control device that controls the fan. I would go back to the store where you bought the fan and the speed-control device and ask them to analyze the problem. If the store can’t help, perhaps the Radio Shack route will work.

Any readers with the same static problem are invited to drop me a line at the address below with solutions or suggestions.

Dale Baldwin will answer remodeling questions of general interest on this page. Send your questions to Home Improvement, Real Estate Department, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053. Baldwin cannot answer questions individually. Snapshots of successful do-it-yourself projects may be submitted but cannot be returned.