First appearance: How to Supercede a Bathroom Consume Fan

They say nothing is certain but dying and taxes, but I'd like to add a one-third: repairs! In one hebdomad alone, three things broke down on us that had to be repaired. When you're a do-information technology-your-selfer and a blogger, you have to take to be the glimmering lateral and call that a good week: repairs lone can give you a long ton of things to write about!

For the Dwelling Improvement contest, I'm sharing a DIY happening how to replace a bathroom fan. 'Obscure' repairs are ones that cristal unnoticed, but they can be the most life-or-death DIYs you'll do because they protect the investment in your home - and your health. A well pouring (and installed) bath exhaust fan will help foreclose mold growth which can trigger bronchial asthma and allergies. If you observe moisture stains on your walls or ceilings, metal corrosion, visible mold, desquamation paint OR wall newspaper publisher, leaden Windows and treble levels of humidity, it's time to change that fan. Other than the mingy and awkward quarters you have to influence in, it's a fairly straightforward repair - and well worth the attempt to screw that it's done right.

We weren't sorry to see our old fan move on; It was so loud that my married woman could barely hear me singing safety pet to her just unlikely the bathroom door. We really should have replaced it monthlong before IT conked out though: as (bad) luck would give it, ours stopped working when the hottest and most humid stretch of weather hit us. Ironically, that was the same forenoon that our air conditioning broke down excessively, so by the afternoon our house was Eastern Samoa calefactory as you have intercourse what and the attic was even hotter! Mouth all but sweat equity!!

Step 1: You Will Postulate

  • substitute fan
  • ducting (various lengths and configurations)
  • tyvek coverall
  • safety mask
  • tuck tape
  • canal insulation (only when if you can't reuse the long-ago binge)
  • gloves (to wear patc moving insulation)
  • drill
  • drill bits
  • sheet metal-looking screws
  • Sn snips
  • electrical bushing
  • cardboard box to supporte channelise supplies all straightaway
  • outboard lightly (and extension cord to run to nearest wall socket)
  • ladder
  • plywood (to put between the joists to help you walk about the attic)

Step 2: Remove the Old Rooter

To start, I cut the power to the bathroom so I could disconnect the wiring safely without risk of burning! I and then removed the old fan so I could find a permutation that would jibe without having to cut a larger hole into the drywall. I temporarily recorded a plastic old bag over the cakehole subsequently removing the fan.

Since the fan is also connected to the light, and there ISN't a window in the bathroom, I set up a lic light outside the door.

I preserved all the surfaces in the bathroom by taping plastic to the walls and on the floor to catch any insulant/mess that might drop down when I was on the job in the attic later.

Step 3: Inspect What You Have So You Can Purchase Accordingly

I inspected the condition of the old ducting in the attic and discovered that the original 4″ pipe attached to the vent was seedy installed and there were much of gaps. I also observed that the builder cut too big a hole into the roof – which further explained the gaps. The picture shows what the old channel (and fan) looked like.

I found a specialness winnow stack away that sells to the building industry, simply is opened to the public. I took the old rooter with me to get the cookie-cutter dimensions to sound the hole in the ceiling, but I upgraded to a whisper soft devotee (only 1 sone). Any fan low-level 1.5 sones is considered to be quieten so preserve that in mind when shopping.

Another thing to keep in mind is the diameter of the duct connector happening the new housing. To maximise performance, seek to match your duct diameter to the new fan. Our duct was originally 4″ wide but because of the bigger hole in the roof left by our builder, I opted to use a 5″ gasket in order to bridge the gaps at the roof vent and replace the 4″ ductwork with 5″ fittings. However, the replacement fan was 4" so I bought a duct reducing agent (installing the 4″ end onto the fan and the 5″ end onto the new ductwork). There's nothing wrong with increasing the size of the ductwork, simply don't e'er do the opposite or you will throttle the eat up from the fan!

All-in, it cost around $125 for the rooter and supplies.

Step 4: Determine Your CFM Rating

With respect to performance, a fan's ability to move publicise is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM), so look for a CFM rating that will meet your needs by moving enough aerate for the sizing of your bathroom. To decide your CFM rating, use the following formula:

Duration x width x elevation of room x .13 = the borderline CFM rating

In addition to the fan, I purchased a variety of new fittings. Bring more than you think you motivation and return what you don't use; there's nothing worse than being cragfast in the attic and so realizing that you have to expire to buy something you didn't beat!.

Step 5: The Real Work Begins

I right up in a light-colored Tyvek coverall, like the one pictured, to protect against the scratchy insulation. I also wore a heavy responsibility mask: if you've ever had mice in the bean, breathing in minute particles from the mess they leave butt can establish you sick. You need to take out the forethought of wearing a mask so you don't inhale whatsoever toxins.

This is off topic, simply if you do find signs of pussyfoot activity when you overdress there, you can toss bags of Coumadin pellets (if you can still purchase them) or so the border of the attic to do away with them (that's all extinction companies do). If you don't use it all upwards comprise sure to lock it forth where kids and animals can't gain entree to it for obvious reasons.

Step 6: Gather Supplies

I placed a ladder beneath our attic access and removed the panel (ours is in the bedroom closet). I took all my equipment up in a boxful to keep it all at once and do the trip only once. This enclosed a drill, screws, screw propeller driver, tin tinsnips, canal fittings, fan, electrical cylindrical lining, silver tuck tape, etc. I too took a bright light on an extension electric cord up with me to realise (the light was run to another electrical power supply that was still working).

If you seaport't previously done workplace in the attic, you should place some runner strips of plyboard crosswise the joists then you can walk about without risk of falling through the drywall! I had already ripped down some plywood for this intention a hardly a years past sol I was good to go. Formerly in the attic, I pushed away all the blown in insulation so I could locate the electrical wiring and hole in the cap of our bathroom (this is where screening the hole with a bright covered bag came in ready to hand; it was easy to spot). Don some gloves when handling the insulation - it can be restless.

Measure 7: Installation

I distant the plastic bag, positioned the new fan body over the hole in the cap and then screwed it into the joists. A auriferous strip (shown in the primary painting) was attached to the back to help secure it further to the joist (it can reduce side to side vibration). Dependent on where your hole is positioned between the joists, you may hold to put in anywhere from one to 4 of these strips to fix IT.

Our fan was positioned right beside the joist and so I only needed one young strip at the back.

Next, I installed the electrical bushing onto the fan (it protects the telegram) and then fed the wire through and connected information technology. I utilised tuck videotape to seal all along the edges of the fan.

Whole tone 8: Relate Gasket and Arid Fit

At the roof line, I used a 5" gasket with a seal around IT for the link to the roof outlet. This is a much better resolution than the correct run with sack cuts the builder previously installed because it seals any gaps. I used tin snips to cut away one side of the gasket to fit it outpouring against the joist ready to line it upwardly with the roof vent. Once fit, I peeled the tapeline off the gasket and pressed it up onto the underside of the roof. I pre-drilled and inserted screws all around the gasket.

I dry fit the metal ducting, starting with the reducer at the fan, until I eventually got it all to logical argument up with the roof vent.

Atomic number 3 you can see in the last picture, one of the pieces of ducting is articulated and then it tin can be twisted into more or less some position to line the duct work up with the roof ventilate.

Step 9: Connect to the Roof and Seal off

With all the dry fitting complete, I pre-drilled a hole into each duct joint and installed a few 8 x 1/2"screws to hold the sections into position. Then I wrapped each joint with silver tuck tape to seal IT.

Step 10: Trial Electrical Connexion and Isolate

In front finishing the insularism, I revolved the power support on to arrive at sure everything was functioning smoothly. Then I turned the power endorse off again as a safeguard and went plump for into the attic to wrap the pipe with insulation and tie IT along with cord (I reused the sunset insulating material that was originally there).

The lastly step is to return all the blown-in insulation to its pilot position betwixt the joists.

Step 11: You're Done

I brought all my tools back down and closed the attic access panel.

The last step is to set up the plastic cap cover complete the fan to finish information technology away; it attaches with bimetal clips. Now the fan purrs like a kitten; bring on the natural rubber ducky!

Step 12: Please Vote

If you found this Instructable helpful, please suffrage for it in the house improvement contend!

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