After Choosing or Selecting The Perfect Bathroom Exhaust Fan, Bathroom Exhaust Fan Installation Technique get more important. Bathroom is a place of moisture and humidity, organisms like mold, spores and mildew generally build up. This further causes odor and stains in the bathroom. Mold and mildew build up causes the paint to peel off the walls and ceiling. Moreover the bathroom door and cabinet doors also get deteriorated from warping.
The Benefits of Bath Exhaust Fans
Ventilation and the Elimination of Odors. Reduction of Moisture and Humidity.
Seeing all these things, today’s market provides us with variety of products that destroy the spores and clean the stains that the spores usually leave behind. However, more appropriately one should use a technique which can prohibit the growth of such micro organism any further.
IMPORTANT:
In order to reduce elbows and optimize fan performance, install the fan with the exhaust port pointed in the direction of the termination point. Be sure to use the duct diameter size specified for the selected fan. Reducing the duct diameter (at any point in the duct run) may create substantial static pressure and reduce the fan’s performance by as much as 90%.
Selecting Duct: A smooth surface duct allows for optimum airflow. For best results, use galvanized sheet metal or PVC. Flexible aluminum duct is durable, easy to install and often used. However, the ridges in aluminum flexible duct increase static pressure and can reduce air flow and fan performance. This results in lower CFMs, higher noise levels and greater energy consumption. The degree to which performance is affected depends on the length of duct, number and degree of elbows.
Sagging or weaving a fan duct will also increase static pressure and reduce a fans performance. When using a flexible aluminum duct, support the entire length of the duct with braces or hangers to keep it as straight as possible for the entire run. If the duct lies across the attic, do not allow it to sag between each joist. Also, avoid weaving serpentine through trusses.
Using a flexible duct made of nylon or vinyl is not recommended due to high static pressure caused by its ridges and curvature.
Bathroom Fan Elbows Installations: Rule number one is to avoid elbows and bends as much as possible. However, the fact is that many installations require at least one elbow. There are two precautions you can take when installing elbows to achieve optimum airflow.
First, allow a 2 – 3 foot straight run out of the fan before the first elbow. This allows airflow momentum to build before passing through the first elbow. An installation that has a 90-degree elbow immediately after the fan exhaust port will cause air to flow back into the fan. This will reduce fan performance and increase noise.
Second, use a long radius angle to help ensure optimum airflow and minimum airflow noise.
The shortest smooth, inner surface duct with the least number of elbows will provide optimum fan performance.
Bathroom Exhaust Fan Venting to Help Control Moisture and Improve Air Flow
Tips to install a bathroom fan:
Most bathroom fans have keyhole slots and alignment tabs to help with the installation, taking the guesswork out of proper mounting.
The venting is very important. Elbows, turns, long ducts and ductwork smaller than the fan’s exit outlet will reduce performance.
When you use wide aluminum foil or duct tape to join smooth metal ductwork seams you will avoid air leaks. This makes sure any moisture is completely exhausted out of the bathroom.
When you install a bathroom fan do not let flexible ductwork sag because this will reduce air flow.
During the bathroom fan installation, position the bath fan outlet in the direction of the home’s exit point. This will minimize duct turns.
Before adding an elbow or bend, allow 24″ to 36″ of straight run from the fan outlet point.
Duct-wrap insulation (R-5 or above) will help minimize condensation in cold climates, especially on long duct runs.
Exit vents should have backdraft flaps to help keep cold air from entering duct.
Well, installing an exhaust fan in the bathroom is the best option. These work by pushing the moist and humid air out of the bathroom and thereby preventing the mold growth. Setting up the exhaust fan is not a tough job. Here is the step by step technique to install it. But before that make sure you have all the necessary items like bathroom exhaust fan, hacksaw and some other carpentry tools.
There are several different styles of exhaust fans, as well as levels of quality. So, it is better to choose the one you want to install. Moreover, decision should also be done beforehand whether you want to go with the ceiling mount or the wall mount exhaust fans.
Draw a mark on the bathroom ceiling of size 1/8 inches where you’d like to install the vent fan and cut it using a handsaw.
Next step is to make wiring with the main light and for this look over the wiring leading to the bathroom main light. This is where you will wire in the exhaust fan. Connect the exhaust fan wiring to the house wiring following the wiring schematic provided with the fan.
Bathroom exhaust fans need ducting to move the air from the bathroom to the exterior of the building. Most bathroom exhaust fans transfer the bathroom air up into the attic and out through the side of the house using metal ducting. Care should be taken while venting by keeping the duct vent downwardly. This will keep the dirt and rain from coming in the hose.
Since, electricity is not the right place to experiment, better shut off the main power supply when indulging into any of the electrical task. Moreover, hire the services of an expert in case of confusion.
A smooth surface duct allows for optimum airflow. For best results, use galvanized sheet metal or PVC. Flexible aluminum duct is durable, easy to install and often used. However, the ridges in aluminum flexible duct increase static pressure and can reduce air flow and fan performance. This results in lower CFMs, higher noise levels and greater energy consumption. The degree to which performance is affected depends on the length of duct, number and degree of elbows.
Rule number one is to avoid elbows and bends as much as possible. However, the fact is that many installations require at least one elbow. There are two precautions you can take when installing elbows to achieve optimum airflow.
