Can I vent bathroom fan through the roof?
The back story: When the Rough Carpenter was installing the new bathroom fan 15 years ago he connected the flex-exhaust tube to a left-over section of old plumbing vent pipe, about 30″ in length. (All the new plumbing was connected to new venting and passed inspection). So apparently the old pipe wasn’t secured very well because it dropped. The bottom of it landed on my blown-in insulation and squished the flex-exhaust and now I have wet cellulous insulation which has resulted in a wet bathroom ceiling of my second floor. I’m sure most of this water is rain coming in around the hole where the pipe protrudes the roof. (I can see daylight).
I have a roofer coming in a few days and I know he can seal up the roof but I think I’d rather have him install a proper roof vent that I can connect the flex-pipe to if there is such a thing. My concern about running the flex-pipe hortzontaly is that it looks like I’d have to go through the frieze board, just below the soffit. I’m thinking that would weaken the framing? It’s a hip roof if that matters. Also, there is a pergola at the second floor level that makes it hard to get a ladder into position to access the spot.
So can I vent the fan through the roof?
Replies
Sure.
Your roof person can put one in.
While you are up there you might want to get some insulated flex vent, to help keep the exhaust air from hot showers above the dew point till it hits the outside. This can help keep back-drips to a minimum.
I think you're much better off venting through the roof, especially if your roof is vented -- exhausting the moist bathroom air through the frieze board will cause it to just get sucked up into your roofing system, assuming you have a vented soffit.
It *may* be verboten to post links to a competing home improvement franchise, but here's a link to a video from TOH that explains it pretty well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqrZWd_CQIE
Not verboten, only the spam links that some lazy skuzbag no nothing internet chiseler wants hits on.
Thanks
UncleMike42,
Thanks for the information. I feel better now about venting through my roof and the insulated flex tube sounds great.
Roy
SGRepp,
I was able to watch the video. Thank you so much. It was very detailed and now I have a plan.
Roy
Surely you can!
Get help from any professional, they will do your task for you.