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Venting Bathroom Exhaust Fans

danz857 | Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on May 18, 2003 03:32am

Own a 3 year old spec house in a development, without a trip up to the attic could not figure out where the bathroom exhaust fans vented to, until they built a  (custom) house next to mine. They vent the fans to the soffit, which means mine probably run 13 to 15′. The fans dont work all that well venting the moisture from a shower. My question is why brother installing them and then run the vent 13 to 15 feet which appears to be too long of a run for the fans to be effective.


Edited 5/18/2003 8:49:18 AM ET by danz

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  1. User avater
    rjw | May 18, 2003 03:38pm | #1

    My question is why brother installing them and then run the vent 13 to 15 feet which appears to be too long of a run for the fans to be effective.

    Becasue some contractors and tradesmen don't check to see if what they install actually works - their touchstone is "does it meet code."

    "That's the way we always do it."

    _______________________

    10 .... I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.

    11 For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have--Jesus Christ.

    1 Corinthians 3:10-11

    1. danz857 | May 18, 2003 03:57pm | #2

      Bob I understand what you are saying but it's probably was done under the developers direction and not the indivial craftperson. Guess I dont understand why they would put in a fan that isnt going to work anyway. By the way, the only codes we have here are setbacks.

      Thanks for your view

      Dan

      1. User avater
        BillHartmann | May 19, 2003 01:19am | #3

        They probably only installed them since they thought that is what there customers expected.

        I have not looked at specs on fans. But I supsect that fans would work over that distance IF they where properly sized.

        But probably the only spec that they used was one that required them to make noise so they appeared to be working.

        Went on a new homes parade of homes a couple of weeks ago. And this one home was not only on the tour, but was a featured home from one of the "living" magazines.

        It was listed at $795,000. The bath fans sounded like the "motorcyle" that kids put on their bikes. With a playing card flapping against the spokes.

  2. User avater
    goldhiller | May 19, 2003 04:02am | #4

    I personally think/have experienced that many of these vents are installed in the soffit of a ranch home because the installer didn't want to be responsible for the penetration in the roof if they can figure out a way to avoid it....even if that means making a 15' horizontal run.

    All too often we find that no one thought about insulating that pipe either as it makes its way through the attic space...... even tho the home is in a heating climate.

    Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.



    Edited 5/19/2003 10:23:48 AM ET by GOLDHILLER

  3. skipj | May 19, 2003 07:13am | #5

    danz,

    You have lousy fans. Pull the cover and see if the housing indicates CFM (cubic feet per minute); if it is 45 or so, your builder saved $20 a bathroom, but met code.

    I just did a remodel where the fan exhausts 35' with 4" horizontal duct, and at 110 CFM barely audible, you could barbecue in that bathroom. The fan cost about $200.

    If you have a good fan, then check your ductwork. I'm willing to bet your fan is low end.

    skipj

    1. brownbagg | May 19, 2003 03:40pm | #6

      about a year ago we had a big discussion about venting into attic. I was on the side that it was legal to code to vent this way. I did not want to cut the roof.

      Well, I was wrong, it is still code legal but it just does not work, so i cut the roof this weekend and exit out the roof now. I was wrong.

      1. User avater
        BossHog | May 19, 2003 04:24pm | #7

        Ain't many people around here EVER admit they've been wrong about something. I've only done it once, and I'm approaching 4,000 posts. I feel on edge lately. A little like a hemophiliac in a porcupine petting zoo.

  4. poorsh | May 19, 2003 11:54pm | #8

    Hi Danz

    Remodelled some what while re-roofing here in Vancouver B.C. The range of fans was from $45 to 200 Cdn. We ended up paying 120 Cdn(75USD) for two reasons. One was noise it had a squirrel cage fan that was really quiet, so quiet that we tossed up a Kleenex to see if was working, and two was volume of air exhausted. A fairly large bathroom. You get what you pay for. We pushed the vent up through the roof and made sure the pipe was well insulated. No condensation from warm air exhausting through a cold attic and dripping back down. That was five years ago.

    Poorsh

  5. billsky | May 20, 2003 05:44pm | #9

    Danz, could you tell me what manufacture makes a soffit 4 inch fan damper vent?  I find all the Lowes and Home Depot stores stock only the roof and wall vents.  They both carry Nutone and Broan and these two don't make the soffit one.  Most bathrooms are on a outside wall and I think the soffit vent is the way to go.  Any help will be appreciated.  If anyone knows of more thatn one manufacture please list them.

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