Bath Vent

[Theron]

I need to install a bath fan in my bathroom. We have to shower with the door open so the steam doesn't run down the walls. It's a cape cod so it wouldn't be too difficult to install a fan (remove subfloor in the upstairs and shoot it out the side of the house), but ... before i go through with installing it, are there any alternatives that y'all can offer that you know will work? Louvered doors?, some other kind of door? Also - bath fan technology - If i must install one is there any special fans out there made for remodel work?

[scottandanne@nnex.net]

i just got done building my house and learned some lessons on fans. the fans that were installed were the cheapest fans, one would think that is ok because its just a fan. Well, i suggest when looking for the fan to look for the number of sones. ours is like 6, which is the worst. you might pay alittle more for one that is less but the fan is anoying as hell being that loud. also look for the cfm rating. that is the airflow rate, more is better. hope this helps

[wwsmith]

I agree with scottandanne on the sound level. I would derinately recommend you spend a little more on the quieter fans. They have some that can be pretty high priced, but are very quiet. I ended up going with one in the middle so it was more affordable and the sound was much more tollerable.

I have never seen a special fan just for remodel, but that doesn't mean there aren't any. Mine went in pretty easily and just mounted it to the stud in the ceiling and a quick electrical drop.

WWS

[Polar Sparky 1224]

Most vent fans i ever put in only needed a few grabber screws to install. Although you have an older home with a keyhole or jab saw it only take a few minutes to have it in. If you get a really quite fan you should be able to just take power from your light. If you want to go the extra mile you can put the fan on a timer switch. Generally they count down from 30 minutes. At a home in southern Utah we put these switch's in since his daughters kept leaving the fans on.

[HVAC HAWK]

is there a closet in the room or on the other side of the bath room walls .

is there an out side wall in this room or close by.

is there a wall on the 2nd floor above this room that you can get to the attic through this wall.

[Theron]

no closet, there is an outside wall with a small window. I will have to remove some subfloor in the attic to access the ceiling of the bath, because i don't want to mess up my plaster. i can access one of the bathroom walls from the attic so i can drop electric through there, there is no ceiling light. I'll have to run a leg from the basement.

[Bob D.]

Definitely go for a fan with a Sone level less than 2, anything else to me sounds like a lawn mower. Be sure you size it correctly (the rule is like .6 CFM/sq Ft I think, but don't hold me to that figure) for the room size, otherwise you are wasting money if you over or under size. Oversize just sucks heated or cooled air out of your house and throws the money out the vent, under-size and the fan will not be able to clear the space and you end up with the condensation problem again.

[HVAC HAWK]

you have access to the attic then your home free . the wall that you can get electric from the basement this may be were you can put the switch and then go up to the attic to the fan . if you tell me the size of the room i can fined out the cfms you need . you have a couple ways you can vent this out .

1 run the flex hose to a gable end vent

2 go through the roof with a vent cap

3 or run the hose to a soffit and put a vent cap there

[Theron]

The room is roughly 6 x 6 8ft ceiling. Any particular brands you guys prefer? Nutone? When i was in new construction we just used the cheapest fan the supply house had. It's a balloon frame house with block construction - there are no overhangs or gables for the roof. Traditional cape cod style house built in '41. I have two choices for venting (i think) through the roof or out the side. If i go through the roof i have to deal with three layers of shingles (yes three i know it's not code i bought it that way and i know i have to fix it). If i go out the side i have to rent a core drill hammer drill and drill through one layer of block and a layer of brick approx. 8"-10". I don't really want to do it through the roof because it creates a possible leak area for the future - and i'm not a roofer. Should i have any concerns about structural integrity with drilling a 4" hole through the side of the block? It's a very well built and over-engineered house. (My roof trusses are 2x8's :))

Electric - I was thinking it would be okay to put in a two gang remodel box with a GFI outlet and a timer switch. Is there a special timer switch i need to purchase for a bathroom, or is a normal one okay?

[HVAC HAWK]

if you want to go through the wall that should be OK , i drill 4"&6" holes in block a lot and it is fine. the timer , just ask were you bye the fan. i have a small timer control that a service man from my company . this is wired into the fan so when i turn on the light the fan comes on and stays on for 5 to 10 minute after the light is turned off . i will fined out the name of this timer and fined out what size fan you need . i will get back tomorrow.

[Polar Sparky 1224]

Before the power went out (not my fault we have a big storm here:D ) I was about to suggest calling a local electrical supply house to find out if they have timer switch's and see which option will save you money.

[HVAC HAWK]

i just wanted to add

a regular turn nob type timer works well if you just need the light and the fan does not need to come on.

but i have 2 girls and they always forgot to turn on the fan so thats Wye i use the built in timer . i have a 2nd light to use if we do not need the fan .

[HVAC HAWK]

theron

i checked on the size you need

the smallest you need is a 75 cfm

but you should go bigger [above 100 cfm ] to make sure you get all the moisture out. you do not want to start getting mold

the moisture is the first thing to worry about
the 2nd thing is to vent the room of smell

the loss of heat or cooling is a small price to pay to avoid the mold