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Bathroom Exhaust Fans
.22 L.R
Member Posts: 189 ✭✭
I am going to have some new Bathroom Exhaust Fans installed. The Bathrooms are about 6'x9' so a 110CFM with 4" duct should be more than efficient to vent out to the roof. I want just a simple fan with no lights or heater or some of that other garbage. I want to install it on a timer so that "I" can set it to run from roughly 10 to 30 minutes . I've been looking at several brands Panasonic, Broan, Delta, Air King etc.. Does anyone know if the units sold at the Big Box Stores are of a different (cheaper) quality than the ones sold by an Electrician or Electrical Supply Shop. I've been told by various individuals this applies to Plumbing parts and Lawnmowers so I am wondering about these Fans. Anyone know for sure.
Comments
Panasonic, don't even need to look at anything else. They are amazingly quiet while moving huge amounts of air.
You can get them at the box stores, but I think we ordered ours on Amazon for less money.
Get the quietest one you can.
we have the plain old Broan they are a little noisy but sometimes a little noise is a good thing it might cover up some others sounds so the rest of the house don't have to hear some things
I would think that "contractor grade" would be better (and more expensive) than "consumer grade" anything.
I put a bathroom exhaust fan in my two-car garage, wired through a thermostat set at 90 degrees. On summer afternoons, especially after parking a hot car inside, it kicks on and draws cool air from a window on the north side of the garage and vents into the attic. It didn't need to be especially quiet out there, so I just bought a cheaper but high flow model. It works a champ.
I would prefer the louder one, just so I know it is running and don't leave it on overnight, or for a day or so, but my hearing is bad..............seems like a timer is just one other thing to go bad
We just moved into a brand new house, and the bathroom fans must be on some sort of delay. They start up about 5 or so seconds after you turn the switch on. Not sure if it's some type of slow start or something else, but it sure is weird. Awfully quiet though.
I bought the most expensive Broan units they had at the BBS. Love that they are so quiet. The only way I know that they are on is when I see that one of the switches is not aligned with the others.
If you live with a woman, that heater in the ceiling might be a good investment.
Neal
Get a Broan or Nutone (same thing) with a 6” exhaust duct. Super quiet. Use an insulated 6” duct for exhaust.
I also had a separate wall-switch that lights the toggle up Red when the unit is running, since I'm beginning to have hearing problems that was a must....seems to help everyone else to pay attention also. Most all timers will eventually give you problems, I don't trust them.
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
Air King
@Junkballer The lighted switch is a good idea. I use them for the attic lights & fan over-ride. On cool nights, we open the attic access & override the fan temperature switch. It helps to draw the cool air into the house via open windows.
"Contractor grade" is the cheapest stuff that will pass inspection...
Agree, when you see "contractor grade" it is the sorriest product of the lot.
Had one home owner that wanted a noisy one, she must have not been proud of her toots.
We us a system with a central blower motor. One duct to each bathroom and controlled by separate switches.
Just about every owner says that the fan is not working, out comes the ladder and TP test.
I have to retract that "contractor grade" comment earlier. I meant to say something like "professional grade" in the sense of top quality. But I agree that most contractors go for the cheap and dirty, not the high-end.
At any rate and however they're labeled, there are certainly differing grades of products from first class to shoddy.
A few years ago I was considering replacing the exhaust fan/heater/night light assemblies in our two bathrooms. That is until I realized what extensive ceiling/attic modifications would be required.
I ended up replacing just the vent blower motor......which was the original problem. The motors are usually a c-frame open style, requiring careful measurements of dimensions, mounting, etc. There are tons of them on china-bay. Just be careful to avoid cheap knock-offs.......as one I had, lasted less than a week.
Hope this helps.
the bigger the better😂
We have a Nutone fan from the 70s that looks to be less than 3" with a GE rotational auto-shutoff timer (60 min. max) that I wouldn't trade for any other setup. Makes enough sound so I can hear it run which is ideal. Have to leave the bathroom door ajar - you can't exhaust air if it can't come in. Over-exhausting air is not a great idea for Minnesota in winter.