3 Reasons Its Time to Replace Your Exhaust Fan

Unfortunately in this world things do not last forever. Homeowners know this all too well. Sometimes it feels like things are breaking every time you turn around. The exhaust fans in your home can sometimes take a back seat on the repair list but here are three reasons you might want to consider replacing your exhaust fan sooner rather than later.

Reason 1 – It no longer works. Okay, this is a fairly obvious reason, but you would be surprised at the number of homes across the country that have exhaust fans installed that no longer are operational. The challenge is that it falls into the category of “when I get around to it”. Unfortunately this is a big mistake. As we have outlined in previous posts, indoor air quality can really affect the home and the people inside it.

Reason 2 – The sound level is now almost unbearable. There are a multitude of reasons why the exhaust fan’s sound level has increased. The main reasons are typically that a weld on the fan housing has released, the fan blade if out of balance, or the fan was just loud to start with.

NOTE: Sometime an increase in sound level can be due to a build up of dirt or debris on the fan blade or in the ducting, a damper that is not opening properly or other maintenance issues. Before replacing the fan, make sure to check these items.

This is a slightly more difficult decision than if the fan is not working at all. Since the fan is still providing ventilation, there is not an immediate need to replace. What typically happens however is that because of the elevated sound level, the fan is not utilized which at that point, it is the same as if the fan was not working at all.

Reason 3 – The fan is not providing the proper amount of ventilation. This is one where you want to troubleshoot the symptom first. It could be that there is a clog in your ductwork, a buildup of dust or dirt on the fan blade or a build up of dust or dirt inside of the fan housing. These can all contribute to decreased performance and if they are the case, some maintenance to the fan should clear up the issue. If that is not the case, many times it is because the wrong size fan was originally installed. Most experts agree that you should look for a fan that provides 1 CFM (cubic feet per minute of ventilation) per 1 square foot. So if your bathroom is 10 by 10, you need 100CFM. The trouble with that math is there are other factors involved. Items such as length and type of ductwork, type of usage of the bathroom, geographic location, and many more can have a direct impact. In some cases you might need to increase the amount of airflow of your fan considerably to meet the needs of your bathroom.

A word to the wise on this point. You should have a realistic expectation of what you want the exhaust fan to do. If you are taking steam showers in a sub zero climate, the amount of condensation that will build up will require a small jet engine to keep up with it. If issues like condensation, the mirror fogging up, etc. are happening, a larger fan will help, but you might also want to consider the amount of time the fan is running. In higher humidity situations, the fan might need to run from 20 minutes to hours after the bathroom has been used. Fans with humidity sensors or timers can be very effective in making sure the proper amount of ventilation occurs. The last thing we want is for you to have the same issues after taking the time and energy to replace your existing one. If you are not sure, consult a professional.

Visit www.airkinglimited.com for more information and to see Air King’s full line of exhaust fan products.

The trouble with bathroom exhaust fans – troubleshooting your bathroom exhaust fan

Bathroom exhaust fans provide a vital function to the indoor air quality of the home by exhausting odors and moisture that can cause mold or mildew to grow. But they are only effective if they are working. There are many reasons that exhaust fans might start to have issues or stop functioning all together. The good news is not all of them mean you need to replace the entire fan. Here are a few troubleshooting tips:

CAUTION: Before starting any maintenance make sure the fan is turned off at the circuit board.

If the fan has completely stopped operating:

Check to see if there is power to the fan. A circuit might be tripped. Next, see if the motor plug is connected. Typically fans will have a plug running from the motor to a receptacle in the fan housing. If this has come loose, the fan will not operate. Another cause could be the wiring was not done correctly. This usually only applies if it is a brand new installation. If after checking all of those without solving the issue, you probably need to replace the motor or entire fan.

The fan is working but the air is moving slower than normal: More often than not, this is because there is a build-up of dirt on the fan motor/blade or an obstruction in the ducting. Common obstructions include bird’s nest in the roof or wall caps where the air is being exhausted out of the home. Removing any blockage in your ducting or cleaning the inside of the fan according to the instructions in your owner’s manual will hopefully solve the issue.

The fan is operating louder than normal: First you will need to identify what type of noise it is making. If it sounds like it is operating normally just louder it might be because of some of the same issues described above in the air is moving slower than normal.

If it is more of a rattling sound it may be because the motor has come loose. Most exhaust fans have a housing with the motor attached to the housing with some type of mounting bracket. Over time the screw(s) holding the motor to the housing can work themselves loose. Tightening these might solve the problem.

Much in the same way, it could be that the screws or nails holding the fan to the joists have worked themselves loose or the ducting has disconnected. If you have access to the fan from above, this can be easily checked and corrected.

Other causes could be a weld has broken loose on the fan housing. Unfortunately, that can’t be easily fixed and the whole fan will need to be replaced. If you hear more of a scraping sound it is probably the fan blade hitting the fan housing. This can happen if the blade was damaged during cleaning or if it has worked itself loose. Check to see if you can fit the blade back onto the motor shaft. If not, you might need to replace the blade, the motor or the entire fan depending on the extent of damage.

As always, Air King highly recommends consulting a professional for all maintenance issues. To learn more about other helpful tips visit the FAQ section at www.airkinglimited.com

Does your exhaust fan sound like an Airplane? Time for a new one?

Quick, name the top 5 reasons people do not use their bathroom exhaust fans:

1. It's too loud

2. It's too loud

3. It's too loud

4. It's too loud

5. It doesn’t work anymore

Unfortunately, not using the exhaust fan in your home can cause some serious issues with mold, mildew and indoor air quality. We get it, if it sounds like an airplane engine in your bathroom, you don’t want to turn it on.

The first thing to do is determine if the problem might be able to be corrected or if that is just how loud the fan is. Air King offers many troubleshooting tips in the FAQ section at www.airkinglimited.com. Common issues include blockages in the ducting, build up of debris on the blades of the fan and mechanical issues such as broken welds on the fan housing.

If it is not a problem with the fan, it might be that the fan just is that loud. Many times in new construction, not a lot of attention is given to the exhaust fans, so less expensive – louder operating models are used. On most models there will be a label that tells you the sound level. If your model doesn’t have a label, you can try and find the model number and the manufacture to see if they have any information online.

Sound is measured in sones. A rating at or below 1 sone will be very quiet. 1 to 2 sones will still be quiet but anything over 4 sones starts to get loud. If your fan’s normal operating level is higher than what you want, or any of the troubleshooting tips do not solve the issue, you might want to consider replacing it. An exhaust fan replacement can typically be completed by a homeowner with some electrical and general handyman skills in an afternoon. There are many factors that can influence the ease or difficulty of the installation including the size of the ducting, if the new fan is larger than the existing one and if you can access the fan from above.

Air King always recommends consulting a professional if you are unsure about any aspects of the installation. Air King has a large selection of energy efficient, quiet exhaust fans to meet the needs of almost any home. To learn more about Air King’s bathroom exhaust fans, visit www.airkinglimited.com.