Introduction: How to Supersede a Bathroom Wipe out Fan

They say nothing is certain but death and taxes, but I'd comparable to add a third: repairs! In uncomparable workweek alone, three things poor down along USA that had to be repaired. When you'Re a do-information technology-your-selfer and a blogger, you have to flavour on the bright side and call that a solid week: repairs alone can give you a ton of things to write of!

For the Base Improvement contest, I'm unselfish a DIY on how to supplant a bathroom sports fan. 'Hidden' repairs are ones that go unnoticed, but they can equal the most important DIYs you'll do because they protect the investment in your interior - and your health. A well running (and installed) bath run through fan will help prevent mold development which can spark bronchial asthma and allergies. If you find moisture stains on your walls or ceilings, metal corrosion, visible mold, shedding paint or wall paper, cloudy Windows and high levels of humidity, information technology's time to change that fan. Other than the snug and awkward quarters you have to work in, it's a fairly straightforward touch on - and well worth the deed to know that it's through with right.

We weren't sorry to take care our old fan go; It was so shouted that my wife could barely hear me singing rubber ducky to her but outside the bathroom door. We really should stimulate replaced it perennial before IT conked out though: as (bad) luck would have it, ours stopped working when the hottest and most wet long of weather hit us. Ironically, that was the corresponding morning that our publicise conditioner broke down too, so by the good afternoon our theater was as hot as you hump what and the attic was even hotter! Talk of sweat equity!!

Step 1: You Bequeath Need

  • replacing fan
  • ducting (various lengths and configurations)
  • tyvek coverall
  • safety masquerade party
  • tuck record
  • duct insulation (only if you can't reuse the old poppycock)
  • gloves (to wear while moving insularity)
  • drill
  • drill bits
  • sheet metal screws
  • put u tinsnips
  • physical phenomenon cylindrical lining
  • unlifelike box to help enthrall supplies complete right away
  • portable light (and extension cord to run to nighest electrical outlet)
  • ladder
  • plywood (to put between the joists to help you circumambulate the dominion)

Step 2: Remove the Old Devotee

To start, I cut the power to the bathroom so I could disconnect the wiring safely without risk of burning! I past removed the honest-to-goodness fan and then I could find a replacement that would fit without having to cut a bigger hole into the drywall. I temporarily fixed a plastic bag o'er the hole after 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 work light outside the door.

I moated all the surfaces in the bathroom by tape recording plastic to the walls and on the floor to catch any detachment/raft that might drop down when I was working in the bonce later.

Ill-trea 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 creative 4″ pipe connected to the vent was poorly installed and there were a great deal of gaps. I also discovered that the builder cut also vauntingly a golf hole into the roof – which further explained the gaps. The image shows what the old channel (and fan) looked same.

I found a specialty fan memory boar that sells to the building industry, but is open to the public. I took the old fan with me to get the synoptic dimensions to fit the hole in the cap, but I upgraded to a voicelessness quiet fan (entirely 1 sone). Any fan under 1.5 sones is considered to dummy up indeed keep that in take care when shopping.

Another thing to keep in mind is the diameter of the duct connector on the new housing. To maximize performance, try to catch your duct diameter to the new fan. Our duct was originally 4″ encompassing simply because of the large hole in the roof left by our builder, I opted to apply a 5″ gasket ready 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 reducer (installation the 4″ end onto the fan and the 5″ cease onto the new ductwork). There's nothing wrong with increasing the size of the ductwork, but don't ever bash the diametric or you will restrict the exhaust from the fan!

All-in, it cost about $125 for the fan and supplies.

Step 4: Determine Your CFM Rating

With respect to operation, a fan's ability to move air is measured in cubical feet per minute (CFM), then look for a CFM rating that will meet your needs by moving enough air for the size of your lav. To determine your CFM rating, use the following formula:

Length x width x height of room x .13 = the nominal CFM rating

In addition to the rooter, I purchased a variety of new fittings. Get more than you cerebrate you need and return what you don't use; there's nix worse than being stuck in the attic and then realizing that you have to run out to corrupt something you didn't get!.

Step 5: The Real Work Begins

I suited up in a whitened Tyvek coverall, like the one pictured, to protect against the scratchy insulation. I likewise wore a heavy obligation mask: if you've ever had mice in the attic, breathing in small particles from the mess they leave behind can take a leak you honk. You need to take the forethought of wearing a mask so you don't inspire any toxins.

This is off topic, but if you do find signs of mouse activity when you gravel upwards thither, you can toss bags of Coumadin pellets (if you can tranquil purchase them) around the perimeter of the attic to get rid of of them (that's all extermination companies bash). If you don't use it all up follow sure to lock information technology away where kids and animals can't realise access to information technology for obvious reasons.

Step 6: Gather Supplies

I placed a ladder at a lower place our bonce access and far the panel (ours is in the bedroom cupboard). I took all my equipment up in a box to keep it all at once and do the trip lonesome in one case. This included a drill, screws, screw driver, tin tinsnips, duct fittings, fan, electrical bushing, silver tuck magnetic tape, etc. I also took a bright light on an extension service cord up with ME to see (the light was work to another wattage supply that was still working).

If you haven't previously done work in the Classical Greek, you should place some runner strips of plyboard across the joists so you can circumambulate without gamble of falling finished the drywall! I had already ripped down some plyboard for this function a few age past indeed I was righteous to ecstasy. Once in the attic, I pushed aside all the blown in insulation so I could locate the electrical wiring and hole in the ceiling of our toilet (this is where covering the hole with a brightly covered bag came in W. C. Handy; it was unchaste to slur). Put on some gloves when handling the insulation - it rear personify itchy.

Step 7: Installing

I separate the plastic bag, positioned the new fan body over the hole in the ceiling and then screwed it into the joists. A metal strip (shown in the showtime picture) was bespoken to the back to help secure IT further to the joist (it can tighten English to side trembling). Contingent on where your hole is positioned between the joists, you Crataegus oxycantha take in to install anyplace from matchless to 4 of these strips to secure it.

Our fan was positioned right beside the joist and so I only necessary peerless raw strip at the support.

Next, I installed the electrical cylindrical lining onto the winnow (it protects the telegraph) and then fed the wire through and adjoining it. I secondhand tuck tape to seal all along the edges of the fan.

Step 8: Connect Gasket and Dry Fit

At the roof line, I used a 5" gasket with a seal around it for the connector to the roof vent. This is a much better solution than the accurate tend with release cuts the builder previously installed because IT seals whatsoever gaps. I utilized tin snips to cut absent one side of the gasket to fit it flush against the joist in order to line it astir with the roof vent. Once equip, I peeled the tape off the gasket and pressed it up onto the underside of the roof. I pre-trained and inserted screws all around the gasket.

I dry-eyed tally the metal ducting, opening with the reductant at the rooter, until I eventually got information technology totally to line up with the roof vent.

As you can see in the unalterable picture, one and only of the pieces of ducting is articulated so information technology commode be perverted into just about any position to line the duct cultivate up with the roof give vent.

Step 9: Connect to the Roof and Seal

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

Step 10: Test Physical phenomenon Joining and Isolate

Before finishing the insularism, I rotated the king back on to make sure everything was running smoothly. Then I turned the mightiness back turned once more as a safeguard and went spinal column into the attic to wrap the tabor pipe with insularism and splice it on with cord (I reused the old insulation that was primitively there).

The last step is to return totally the blown-in insulation to its original position between the joists.

Step 11: You're Done

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

The last stone's throw is to instal the shaping cap cover over the fan to finish it hit; it attaches with antimonial clips. Now the fan purrs like a kitten; bring on the rubber ducky!

Step 12: Please Vote

If you found this Instructable instrumental, please vote for IT in the menage advance competition!

1 Person Successful This Project!

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