Master Bath - Future Fan Location
Fantech - Dual Unit with Fluorescent Lights
Fantech - Single Unit with Fluorescent Light
Not the best diagram but this shows how they are installed
One of the most important appliances you should have in your bathroom is an exhaust fan. In fact most local codes require that one be installed. The fan removes the moisture generated by the shower and sinks which in turn keeps your walls from looking like a rain forest. By reducing the humidity, this of course also helps to reduce the opportunity for mold and possible wood rot.
When the electrician started to install your standard boxy fan I learned my better half hates bathroom fans that make so much noise that you feel like you’re near railroad tracks at the end of an airport runway. You know the type I’m talking about. You turn them on and the fan is loud and the unit shakes and rattles enough that you wonder if it’s going to drop out of the ceiling. And of course as they get older, they get worse. And they won’t pass the tissue test (the fan should hold a tissue against it when on if it has any suction at all.).
With a little homework we found about Fantech Inline Bath Fans (www.fantech.net). Instead of having the fan in the unit right above your head, the fan is located away from the grill up in the attic. That puts the motor and vibrations up in area that has sheetrock and insulation between you and it. That means a lot less noise.
For the Master Bathroom we’ve decided to use the dual unit which has 14 watt fluorescent bulbs in each grill. One side will handle the shower and sink area while the other side will take care of the toilet area. It’s generally required that a fan move 50 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of air for a toilet and 50 CFM for a shower. When combining the two, that means we need to move at least 100 CFM of air in the Master Bathroom. This unit is rated at 270 CFM so it’s almost three times as much as what’s needed. I think it will work just fine.
The guest bathroom will have a single unit with a fluorescent light. This unit is rated at 110 CFM. This should work just fine as well.
They are a more money than your regular fan, but my better half was very adamant about not having noisy fans. So being the smart husband that I am I agreed that they were a good idea. And now we have to wait until they come in to wrap up the rough wiring.
But that’s a small price to pay for a little peace and quiet…
Enjoy your weekend.
I'm with the wife about the noise and vibration. Those look really neat. Wish we had one!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back from vacation! I hope you had a nice relaxing time.
ReplyDeleteI used a Panasonic Whisper fan that I believe is 110 CFM. It's pretty quiet but this one with the fan separated from the unit makes a lot of sense if you have attic space above the bathroom.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I had to go do the kleenex test and it passed. It also held a a paper towel. Looking for other things to try. A cat?
And of course, I knew somebody would try the test. It's a good way to know how well your fan works.
DeleteNow if you try it with your cat, you're on your own. However, have somebody take a video if you do. I'm pretty sure the results would go viral pretty quickly. But I'm even more postive your cat would shred anything and anybody wth striking distance...