Most homes across North America have at least one exhaust fan and eventually it will need to be replaced which begs the question – should I upgrade the exhaust fan? When we say upgrade the exhaust fan, we are referring to replacing it with a model that might be quieter, have more airflow or features like a humidity sensor. There are a few considerations when upgrading.
Is my old fan no longer working?
This is probably the most common reason why exhaust fans are replaced. In this case you have basically two options – replace it with the exact or similar model or upgrade it to a better model. A few simple questions can direct you to the decision that is best for you:
Did you have any issues with mold, mildew or the steam from showers clearing fast enough? If the answer is no, then you probably have the right amount of airflow. This is measured in CFM (cubic feet per minute). If not, this is a good time to upgrade the amount of airflow.
Was the current fan too loud? Sound in exhaust fans is measured in Sones. One sone is about the sound a refrigerator makes, two sones is twice that and so on. A fan that is at 0.3 sones is almost silent.
Do you have a light or do you want to add one? If the room is dark and you want to add lighting, this would be an opportunity to add a fan/light combination. Depending on how you want it to function (light working independent of the exhaust fan or not), this might require additional wires to be run to the fan.
Would the room benefit from having a humidity sensor? A humidity sensor either as a wall control or integrated into the fan is very helpful in rooms that always seem to struggle with moisture. The humidity sensor will turn the fan on or off depending on the humidity level of the room. This is really helpful is situations where the fan doesn’t get turned on or is not left on for the proper amount of time. A humidity sensor automates that process.
Is my current fan not effective?
Unfortunately, when it comes to the exhaust fans in a home, builders will cut corners a bit and install the least expensive model on the market. While for the most part they are still okay, there is a lot of room for improvement. You might look to upgrade the exhaust fan if the fan is not properly clearing the room of moisture or odors, the fan is too loud, or something is not mechanically working with it. While replacing a fan has its challenges, for the most part it is something that an average do-it-yourselfer can accomplish in a coupe of hours. A lot will depend on if you can access the fan from above (attic), the physical size of the fan and if the old fan’s ducting matches the new one. When deciding to upgrade, you can use the same criteria discussed in the section above.
Do I need to add an exhaust fan?
You might run into a situation where an exhaust fan wasn’t installed. In years past the building code only required that a window be the bathroom. The theory was that if you open the window, it provided the airflow to clear the room of moisture and odors. While there is some truth to that, thankfully we have evolved to understand that a mechanical solution (exhaust fan) is a much better and more controlled way to provide ventilation. Getting back to the question of if you don’t have an exhaust fan installed, this is a great opportunity to make sure you choose one that will fit your needs. Once again, you can use the same criteria as was outlined in the “Is my old fan no longer working?” section to ensure you make the right choice.
Determining if you should upgrade the exhaust fan of your home does not need to be a difficult one. Hopefully the information provide in this post will help you through the process. To learn more about Air King’s exhaust fan solutions and upgrade options visit airkinglimited.com
