During the cold and cooler seasons of the year when you don’t have your windows open often, your house gets stuffy after a while, and it’s especially evident in the bathroom. The best way to combat this problem is to install an exhaust fan.
Types of Fans
There are three main types available.
- Ceiling Mounted – A ceiling mounted fan vents air into the attic or through your roof.
- Wall Mounted – This type of fan is used when access to the roof or ceiling isn’t practical. These fans are always mounted to an external wall.
- Remote or Inline – Inline fans, also called remote fans, are used when there are either multiple vents in one bathroom or multiple bathrooms are vented by one fan. These need duct work which leads to the attic.
Air Rating
Once you’ve decided what type of fan to get, determine what size is right for you. It should exchange air eight times every hour to minimize risk of water damage, mold and mildew growth.
The Home Ventilating Institute states that the best way to determine the right size is to measure how big your bathroom is, then select a fan that will exchange one cubic foot per minute, or CFM. The fan should have a rating of at least 50 CFM.
Take a bathroom that’s 10 feet by 8 feet. That means you have a bathroom with 80 feet of space, so you need a fan rated for 80 CFM. However, you should add 50 CFM for every toilet and 100 for a whirlpool tub.
Other Factors
There are three other important points to take into account when choosing a fan.
- Noise – If you don’t want a noisy fan, pay attention to the number of sones it has. The more sones, the louder it is.
- Energy Usage – There are federal guidelines that every manufacturer must conform to, but Energy Star rated fans will use even less energy than those guidelines, and save money on utility bills.
- Appearance – Of course, the fan also needs to fit in with your bathroom’s design.
It is possible to install your new fan yourself, but just make sure to check with building codes, wiring and duct requirements before you start. And if you’re choosing a roof-vented variety, there are flashing and roofing issues to take into consideration. Unless you’re experienced in electrical and roofing work, it’s probably a project best left for a professional.
