Finding a Location For Your Bathroom Fan

As far as the overall maintenance of your bathroom is concerned, proper ventilation is one very important element. By installing a bathroom fan for proper ventilation, you are in effect taking away the stale odours that mark a bathroom that isn’t ventilated well. You can also say goodbye to mildew and mould buildup, both of which could cause problems not only to your home but also your health.

Installing a bathroom fan, however, is not as simple as it sounds. If you thought you can just stick that bathroom fan you bought from the neighbourhood store anywhere inside your bathroom, you are quite mistaken. Picking a location for your bathroom fan can take some time and effort. To get you started on finding a location for your bathroom fan, here are some things you would want to keep in mind.

Find the most direct route for the bathroom fan

It’s always best to find the shortest and most direct route to the roof vent when you’re installing a bathroom fan. That way, flexible hose or ventilation piping can reach the roof vent without having to take the long route.

Find the dampest part of the bathroom

Installing a bathroom fan over the bathroom’s dampest spot is also a good idea. More often than not, all that moisture causes the smell, the mildew and the mould, which is why installing a bathroom fan right smack in the middle of that area can make a lot of difference when it comes to dealing with moisture in your bathroom. The area over the bathtub or shower is usually the part of the bathroom exposed to a lot of moisture.

Steer clear of obstructions

Make sure that the spot you pick for your bathroom fan is free of obstructions. You certainly would not want to install your bathroom fan in a spot where a chimney or heating vent is, would you? Skylights and roof valleys are also potential trouble areas that you need to stay away from if you want proper ventilation.

Installing your bathroom fan

Electrical work should only be done by licensed professionals, so you would do well to find a good electrician to install your bathroom fan for you. This are the steps he will probably take to do so.

Once you’ve pointed out the perfect spot for your bathroom fan, the electrician will drill a reference hole that will help him determine the fan’s exact position. After creating this hole using a small drill bit, the electrician will make sure there are no electrical wires, joists and ductwork in the way.

Before he cuts a hole in the ceiling for the bathroom fan, the electrician will measure its housing and intake port first. This is to make sure that the hole would not be bigger than what the bathroom fan would need. Unlike a reference hole, a hole that big would be a bit tougher to patch up after all.

After cutting the hole according to the measurements he had taken of the housing and intake port, he will install the bathroom fan and the flexible ducting and piping as well. Once the electrician is done making the necessary connections to the fan and roof vent, he will apply silicone caulk around them to ensure they’re sealed and won’t be leaking moisture into your attic.

If you need to find a skilled electrician to do this for you, we at Tradebusters will be glad to provide what you need. Call us, and we will send over an electrician who can install your bathroom fan quickly and easily.