The Best Bathroom Exhaust Fan to Keep Your House Fresh

Factors To Consider When Buying The Best Bathroom Exhaust Fan

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a) Size And Power

Having a bathroom exhaust fan that fits the entire bathroom is nice because no one hates feeling like they are showering outdoors where there is fresh and superb air quality. However, the size of the exhaust fan might not be your choice after all. There are building codes that require you to fit a bathroom exhaust fan depending on the bathroom space and the partitioning of the bathroom.

Bathroom vents need to work efficiently in getting rid of moisture. Therefore, medium-sized bathrooms need standard-sized fans to get the job done. When buying an exhaust fan, you need to check the CFM, which stands for cubic feet per minute. CFM is the amount of air that the fan can draw every minute and is measured in cubic feet per minute. The standard fan is installed in bathrooms less than 100 square feet.

The ceiling installation is meant to get rid of excess humidity. Therefore, ensure that you install an exhaust fan with about one CFM for every square foot. Many bathroom fans have specifications. However, you need to know which fan your bathroom might need. Bath fans are graded as follows;

• Jetted tub- 100 CFM

• Toilet-50 CFM

• Bathtub-50 CFM

• Shower-50 CFM

Take a keen note of these specifications to ensure you get it right from the word go when installing a bathroom exhaust fan. If your bathroom is below 50 sq ft, you still need to install a fan with 50 CFM. 50 CFM is the lowest exhaust fan allowed by most states regardless of how small the size of the bathroom is in sq ft. So, you should have the dimensions of your bathroom at hand to use as a reference for the power capacity of the exhaust fan.

b) Noise

Every exhaust fan emits some degree of noise which is rated in ones. The majority of fans will feature a sone rating ranging between 0.5 and 6.0. A low sone rating is directly equivalent to a quiet bathroom exhaust fan. The models with a rating of about 1.0 or less will be the quietest units you can get.

On the other hand, the bathroom exhaust fans with a sone rating above 4.0 sones will be loud enough to silence your shower singing. Modern versions are designed to operate quietly with their wider ducting attachments. A wider duct will facilitate easier airflow, which places less strain on the exhaust fan, ensuring minimum noise production.

c) Installation And Ducts

The moisture-saturated air the bathroom exhaust fan draws will need to be vented somewhere. Some vents direct the attic’s exhaust, which is hardly ideal since it can cause mold development from moisture accumulation. The best direction to vent the air is to the outside of the home.

If the bathrooms or laundry rooms are on the first level of a home with multiple stories, you should vent the air through the side. This will necessitate running a duct through the ceiling joists to an exterior wall. If it’s not possible to run the duct between the ceiling joists, or if the bathroom has one exterior wall, a wall-mounted bath fan can force the air through the side of the house.

In bathrooms located directly below the attic, the most optimal action is to direct the air towards the attic through the ducts and out the vent pipes in the roof or to a soffit under the eaves. Larger bathrooms could require several fans to ventilate the space efficiently.

d) Positioning

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There are three types of mountings for bath fans to check for when fitting or replacing a bathroom fan; ceiling-mounted, wall-mounted, and inline fans.

• Ceiling Fan

This type of bathroom exhaust fan is mounted to the ceiling and linked to the main vent system to facilitate moisture removal. It is the commonest exhaust fan on the market, and it’s found in many homes and commercial settings.

• Wall Fan

Wall fans are situated along an exterior wall, and it is rare to have them connected to the main vents. While they look unique, wall fans are positioned lower than the ceiling, which means they can’t remove all the humidity that rises in the bathroom. Since they need a connection to an exterior wall, it doesn’t work well with bathrooms located away from the outer walls.

• Inline Fan

These directly connect to the ducts away from the ceiling. As a result, they are more flexible and quiet; however, they don’t offer many perks for bathroom users. These expensive bathroom exhaust fans are energy efficient since they can cover several bathrooms on the same line.

e) Accessories

The best bathroom exhaust fans feature several additions that add another level of style or comfort to the user. Some of these accessories include

Heat lamps – to provide some extra warmth in your bathroom. They can run simultaneously with your exhaust fan but have a separate control switch so you can switch it off without powering.

Bluetooth Compatibility – Bathroom ventilation fans that are Bluetooth enabled lets you control them from your phone and play music from the Bluetooth speakers inside the fans. This eliminates the need for a bathroom-ready radio since you can easily listen to music in the shower without more electronics.

In-Built LED Night Light- These lights kick in after dark to provide energy-efficient and comforting illumination that can make it easier for you to go to the bathroom at any time of the night.

Humidity Sensors – These detect humidity changes to automatically turn the bathroom exhaust fans on when the moisture reaches a certain level.

LED Indicator Light – To provide visual confirmation when you turn the fan on.

Motion sensors – A motion sensor will detect movement to automatically activate the night light function or LED lights when someone walks into the bathroom.

f) Partitions

If your bathroom has partitions, you might have to get more than one bathroom exhaust fan. For example, some bathrooms have a toilet partition right next to them. In such a case, the toilet will require a fan. The best thing you can do is get a fan for each space to avoid pockets of moisture around the shower area. The toilet area is never that large and might require a combo fan with about 50 CFM or more if you want. The point is to avoid ending up with any air pockets from the bathroom into the toilet.

Therefore, keep in mind that you might end up getting more than one bath fan. The best bathroom fans will have both spaces well taken care of in most cases. However, you do not want to be taking your chances. Be free to buy a new exhaust fan because it only serves your best interest.

g) Fittings

You might have the best bathroom vent fan with light and all that. However, if you do not fit the bathroom exhaust fan with the correct fittings, you might end up doing a disservice to yourself. Even the quietest bathroom exhaust fans will start choking up if the vent tube is too thin and has a small diameter.

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The quietest bathroom fans need to have vents that will make the process easier for it. Bathroom exhaust fans with light might need more intentional fittings to accommodate the electrical parts of the lights and the ventilation fan. A quiet bathroom exhaust fan will use a system that complements all its functions.

Check the duct size with your electrician and ensure it is the largest or the most appropriate you can get. The LED light should not affect the bathroom exhaust fan as much because the light comes fitted to the fan with only wires cutting through. The wires are not enough to cause a distraction to the bathroom fan.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bathroom Exhaust Fans

i) What Is The Best Bathroom Exhaust Fan To Buy?

The Broan-Nu Tone 671 is the best bathroom exhaust fan to buy. The fan is within a decent price range and has a quiet operation. Furthermore, the fan is easy to install.

ii) How Many CFM Do I Need For My Bathroom Fan?

You will need at least a CMF per square foot of your bathroom area. To get the square footage of your bathroom, multiply the length and width of the space, then use the same CFM value.

iii) Is More CFM A Better Bathroom Fan?

A higher CFM translates to stronger air movement power which is essential for large bathrooms. However, a CFM that equates to the area in sq. ft of the bathroom will suffice to ventilate. 

While having a higher CFM is better for bathrooms, a fan can be too large in some instances. If the fan is oversized, the power bill might be higher, which is a disadvantage. Additionally, during winter, the bathroom will be colder than it should be. An oversized, therefore, would not be performing its job well.

iv) What is the difference between an extractor and an exhaust fan?

Functionally, the extractor fan and the exhaust fan are similar. Exhaust and extractor fans are often used interchangeably to mean the same thing. However, in places like the UK, an exhaust fan is the larger version of an extractor fan.

v) What is the most common bathroom fan?

Ceiling mount exhaust fans are popular compared to the other fan types. These fans are used in situations where the exhaust duct is run in between floors or the attic. Alternatively, the wall-mounted fan is an option when there is no possibility of running the duct in the attic.

vi) How do I know if my bathroom fan is strong enough?

There is a test to check whether the bathroom exhaust fan is working or not called the toilet paper fan test that works on most bathroom fans. The test entails taking a piece of toilet paper and sticking it to the fan. If the fan operates normally, the paper should stick to it when turned on.

vii) What happens if a bathroom fan is too powerful?

The downsides that come with an overly powerful fan are a higher noise level and too much cold. A fan that is too powerful will take up a lot of energy, shooting up the electricity bills.

Final Take on the Best bathroom exhaust fans

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Getting a good exhaust fan is meant to make you feel good about your space and your health in the long run. Having a bathroom that grows mold every second is not the best bet for safe living. The fact that you use a hot shower once every while makes exhaust fans even more necessary. Once you have gotten all the features right, it is time to look for the light feature. Are you someone who wants a bathroom light that is funky and exciting, or do you like the classic ambient light? There are many options out in the market for you.

Light is one of the most manipulative experiences of our senses. A blue light will make us feel colder, while a warm and yellow light will make us feel warmer. Therefore, the colors and styles you choose for your bathroom matter. When in doubt, ask yourself why the candle works all the time in such situations.