Exhaust Fan Buying Guide

When was the last time that you touched or thought about that loud, dirty machine in your bathroom ceiling? A year ago? Maybe never? A lot of people are nervous to even look at it, let alone touch it! But changing out your bathroom’s exhaust fan doesn’t have to be scary, intimidating or menacing, as long as you know the answers to a few simple questions.

1. What is the size of your bathroom? This is important so that you purchase the proper CFM. CFM stands for Cubic Feet per Minute, and it tells you how many cubic feet of air your fan will move in a minute. You want to make sure that you’re buying a bath fan that is going to properly ventilate your space, not over- or under-ventilate it.
   1. For bathrooms 45 square feet and less, purchase a 50 CFM fan
   2. For bathrooms 46 square feet to 75 square feet, purchase a 70 CFM or 80 CFM fan
   3. For bathrooms 76 square feet to 105 square feet, purchase a 110 CFM fan
   4. For bathrooms over 105 square feet, purchase a 150 CFM fan


2. What is the size of the opening in your ceiling? This can be easily figured out by taking off your exhaust fan’s grille and measuring the length/width of the opening. This information is important so that you buy a fan that is the same size as your current one or larger. If you buy a product that is smaller than your current fan, you’ll have some issues with installation.


3. Do you have attic access over the bathroom where you want to replace a bath fan? This is an important thing to know because it tells you what series of fan you should buy. If you don’t have attic access, you’ll need to buy a fan that can be installed from the roomside (for example, see the Roomside Series from Broan-NuTone). If you do have attic access, then you’re in luck, and you can buy virtually any bath fan!


4. What type of bath fan do you want? There are a ton of different types of exhaust fans in the marketplace today, so you have more options than ever when picking out a new fan. Here are some examples of bath fan types you can choose from:
   1. Fan Only: This product is exactly what is sounds like. It’s standard, with no bells or whistles. It moves air and has a cover. Some are big and others are small. Some are ultra-quiet and some allow you to change the CFM.
   
   
   2. Fan/Lights: This type of fan expands on the standard fan by adding a light. Some are bulb-lit and some are LED-module driven with the option to pick from many colors. Some even have an LED light that continuously fights bacteria, mold, and mildew. So pick whichever one meets your lighting needs!
   
   
   3. Humidity or Motion Sensing Fans and Fan/Lights: Some fans and fan/lights come with humidity and/or motion sensors built in
      1. Humidity sensing fans will sense when the humidity in the room is too high, then automatically turn on to remove excess moisture and off again when the humidity reaches your desired level.
      2. Motion sensing fans will sense when someone has walked into the bathroom and turn the fan on, so you never have to remember to do it yourself!
   
   
   4. Bluetooth-enabled Fans and Fan/Lights: One of the latest innovations in exhaust ventilation is the addition of a Bluetooth speaker inside of the fan. This allows you to connect your to the fan upon entering the bathroom and listen to your favorite tunes while you shower!
   
   
   5. Fans with Heaters: Getting out of a nice, hot shower into a cold bathroom is rarely a fun experience. Sure, you could turn up the heat but why heat the whole house to a higher temperature when you could simply heat the bathroom for a short period of time? A bath fan with a heater provides instant heat and powerful ventilation. Say goodbye to goosebumps and foggy mirrors.
   
   
   6. Decorative Fan/Lights: What is better than an exhaust fan that you don’t know is an exhaust fan? Decorative fan/lights blend into the ceiling and look like other typical domed or flat paneled light fixtures. Recessed fans with lights are also a great way to hide your ventilation. Caution: You might forget that you even have a bath fan after installing these types of products! Install a motion or humidity sensing wall switch and you’ll never have to worry.
   
   
   7. Upgrades: If your fan works well but doesn’t have a light, speaker, or has looked better, a quick and easy upgrade will fix any of those problems. There’s even a motor upgrade for those fans that seem to be running on square bearings or were somehow replaced with a lawnmower engine.

After you answer these simple questions, you’re ready to make your first bath fan purchase. Head on over to your favorite hardware store or check out our product lineup and purchase a brand-new, updated exhaust fan!
 

Why You Need a Bathroom Exhaust Fan

Moist air from showers, tubs and other fixtures in a bathroom can accumulate on surfaces. This can lead to rot, peeling paint and an ideal environment for mold and mildew growth. A properly installed bathroom exhaust fan — sometimes referred to as a bathroom vent fan — provides ventilation by drawing humid air and odors out of the home. You can also find bathroom exhaust fans with lights, so you don’t have to install a separate fixture.

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How Do Bathroom Exhaust Fans Work

The best bathroom fans have powerful motors that turn fan blades at a high speed. This creates a sucking motion that pulls humid air out of the room and pushes it outside via an exhaust vent.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Bathroom Exhaust Fan

Make sure the fan you choose is powerful enough to ventilate your bathroom. The room’s size determines the necessary cubic feet per minute (CFM) rating of the fan. The CFM rating measures the volume of air the fan moves. As a general rule, you’ll need at least 1 CFM per square foot of space. A fan that’s too small won’t remove moisture and odors efficiently and will need to run longer, increasing wear on the motor. The following guidelines can help you find the right fan for rooms with 8-foot ceilings.

• A bathroom 50 square feet or smaller needs a 50-CFM fan.
• For bathrooms between 50 and 100 square feet, estimate approximately 1 CFM per square foot.
• If your bathroom is larger than 100 square feet, tally the CFM requirements for the individual fixtures to estimate your needs. Plan for 50 CFM for each toilet, tub and shower and add 100 CFM for a jetted tub.
• If your bathroom is smaller than 50 square feet, a 50-CFM fan will work.
• Regardless of the room size, a long run of duct work connecting the fan to the outside increases the CFM requirements, particularly if there are bends in the run.

Note that if your bathroom has an enclosed toilet area, the space needs its own fan.

While the fan’s CFM should be rated for the square footage of the room, it’s a good idea to size the fan up a little. For example, get a 70-CFM fan for a room that’s 65 square feet.

Bathroom Exhaust Fan Sones

When considering a new or replacement bathroom exhaust fan, always check the sone rating. Sones are measurements of sound. They aren’t measured in specific decibels or volume levels, but they’re an indication of the comparative comfort level of someone who hears the sound. Sones are an important consideration for your bathroom exhaust fan because they give you a relative idea of how loud the bathroom noise will seem. They’re a good indicator of whether you’ll be satisfied with the fan’s noise level. A lower sone rating means a quieter fan.

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A bathroom exhaust fan with a sone rating of 1 or lower is quiet and discreet and is usually the preferred sound level for most people. However, bathroom exhaust fans with higher sones are available.

To give you an idea of how loud a sone is, here are some noise-level comparisons for different sone ratings.

• A 1-sone rating is comparable to the hum of a refrigerator.
• A 2-sone rating is comparable to a quiet office.
• A 3-sone rating is comparable to a normal conversation.
• A 4-sone rating is comparable to the noise of a TV or radio.
• A 5-sone rating is comparable to a busy restaurant.

Other Specifications

If you’re replacing a fan, take note of the dimensions of the cutout for your existing fan so you can buy one that fits. Here are some other considerations when purchasing a bathroom exhaust fan:

• Ceiling-mount bathroom exhaust fans are the most common models. They connect to an exhaust duct that runs through the attic or between floors. Wall-mount bathroom exhaust fans are designed for rooms where venting through the ceiling isn’t practical. These fans typically vent directly through the wall to the outside with little or no exhaust duct work. Some fans will work in either a ceiling- or wall-mount installation.
• Check the size of the exhaust port on the fan to make sure it fits your duct work. A diameter of 4 inches is common for exhaust ducts, but some high-CFM fans fit a 6-inch-diameter duct. You can upgrade to a duct with a larger diameter for greater efficiency, or you can use an adapter/reducer, which is often included with the fan, to fit the smaller duct.
• A bathroom exhaust fan may be listed for installation over bathtubs and showers when it can be connected to a branch circuit that’s protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter.
• Make sure the fan won’t overload the electrical circuit. Larger, more powerful motors on high-CFM fans draw more power. Features, such as lights and heating elements, increase the demand.
• The fan motor and accessories, such as heaters and lights, can create high temperatures. If you’re installing a fan in an insulated ceiling, make sure the fan is appropriate for contact with insulation.

A Few Things to Remember

Here are a few things to remember about bathroom exhaust fans.

• Make sure the bathroom fan you choose is ducted properly. Fans should be vented to the outside, not to the attic or crawlspace. If the duct work isn’t accessible through the attic, vent the fan through an outside wall of the house.
• Be sure the fan is vented with the right size duct.
• Let the exhaust fan run for 20 minutes after someone showers to ensure the proper amount of ventilation.
• Consider a bathroom exhaust fan with a humidity sensor because it’s convenient and responds to changes in humidity to activate the fan automatically.
• Purchase a bathroom exhaust fan with a motion sensor if you’d like it to turn on when you enter the bathroom. Many also have a low sone rating.

If you plan to install your own bathroom exhaust fan, our guide to Installing a Bathroom Exhaust Fan can help. If you need to install a whole house fan, we can help with that, too. If you plan to refresh or renovate your entire bathroom and need help with bathroom installation, we’ve got you covered.

Are you interested in learning more about Silent Blower(es,vi,ar)? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

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