Bathroom Exhaust Fans

This is a topic that addresses both weatherization and retro-fitting homes. Bathroom fans are crucial to exiting moisture from a bathroom, providing a better indoor air quality to a home.

Why is HZG talking about the simple bathroom exhaust vent? Because it is a MAJOR pet peeve of mine. I enjoy the solitude of a shower, not noise. When I get out of the shower (and I like HOT showers), I also enjoy being able to view my aged face in the mirror when shaving. We used to have an exhaust fan that sounded like an aircraft carrier landing. It did, however, exhaust the steam out of the bathroom within 3 - 4 hours...

When shopping for a bathroom fan, there are many things to look at - however I'm only going to address the two that I find most important: Exhaust and Sound. These are both equal to me, but I would recommend selecting your fan based upon exhaust first, sound second - combined to match your budget. I've seen fans range from $30 to $260. HZG bought a $135 fan (installed by Fix-It Guy for $55.)

Exhaust should be measured by CFM - Cubic Feet per Minute. This measure states how much air will be exchange in the bathroom space. The fan will state on the side of the box how large a bathroom the fan should be installed in. If your bathroom is 80 square feet, I would recommend purchasing a fan that is 20 square feet greater in capability. Remember, the size of the bathroom fan listed on the box is the recommended MAXIMUM size. The extra 20 square feet will ensure the proper exhaust. In my bathroom, I was amazed at the elimination of steam.

Sound in bathroom fans is measured in Sones. The higher the Sone, the louder the fan. As the Sones go lower, the price of the fan typically goes up. HZG purchased a 1.2 Sone fan - it sounds like a light background hum. The following best illustrates the various Sone levels:

4.0 - Normal Television (loud for a fan)
3.0 - Office Noise
1.0 - Sound of a Refrigerator
0.5 - Rustling leaves

Remember, by the BEST fan for your budget - however the more you spend (better CFM, sound reduction), there is a stronger chance that you will be happier per dollar spent.