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

The 50 CFM Exhaust Fan Dilemma

We will admit it; most people are not staying up late at night thinking about their exhaust fans. For most homeowners, it is that thing in the bathroom that makes a lot of noise. The mindset is because it is making noise; it must be working – right.

Unfortunately, that might not be the case. The most popular fan size sold is a builder grade 50 CFM exhaust fan. These models are typically low cost which makes them attractive but they are loud and might not be doing the job they are intended for. Some of the issues come from the fact that they are installed in rooms that are bigger than their intended use. In an ideal situation (which never exists) a 50 CFM fan is good for a room about 50 square feet. In a real-world setting, it is probably closer to being able to handle a room between 35 and 40 square feet. If you have one of these installed in your bathroom, you probably notice things like the mirrors fog over when you shower and mildew seems to build up quickly. The good news is there are a few things that you can do. These vary from inexpensive to a bit of an investment.

1. Get on top of the situation. If you are buying a new construction home, talk to the builder about what they are installing. You might need to push a little, but it will be worth it. Sometimes you will hear things like “we put this fan in all our homes” or “we’ve been using this one for years”. That might be true but a little upfront work will save you money and headaches later. Many builders are also realizing that the old standby is not getting the job done and are already upgrading the exhaust fans. Also, make sure they are using a minimum of 4 inch ducting – 6 inch is even better and they are sizing the fan correctly. It is okay to oversize the fan a little. When we talk about a fan being able to handle a room X square feet – that is a minimum, not the maximum size.
2. Replace the existing one. Replacing an exhaust fan is a somewhat easy DIY project as long as you can access it from the attic. One issue that typically happens is a mismatched duct size. Most builder grade 50 CFM exhaust fans use 3 inch ducting. You will want to change that to 4 inch at a minimum. You can install a 4 inch to 3 inch reducer but that will decrease the airflow of the unit and cause the sound level to be higher. Definitely better to change the ducting if you can. If you are not sure about doing it yourself, licensed electricians or handyman can typically do this in an hour or two. To have a properly sized and functioning exhaust fan it will be worth the costs.
3. Let it run. If replacing the fan is not an option, extending the run time of the fan is the next best thing. Instead of turning the fan off as soon as you are done in the bathroom, allow it to run. The run time will be dependent on a bunch of factors. It might need to run for 20 to 60 minutes or more. Remembering to come back and turn it off might not be a practical solution. Installing a timer switch can be a good solution. An even better one is to install a wall mounted humidity sensor like the Air King DH55. These replace the wall switch and can usually be installed very easily (again, if you are not sure how to do this, contact a licensed electrician). It is also recommended you leave the bathroom door open to allow as much air exchange as possible to help reduce the humidity.

To learn more about Air King vast selection of exhaust fans and Indoor Air Quality Ventilation Systems, visit www.airkinglimited.com