A large variety of bathroom extractor fans are available on the market. You can install an extractor fan into the wall, or you can have one fitted into a window. Since there are so many choices to consider, it can easily be difficult to pick the best option for you.
Taking the time to learn about the various choices you have available will make it easier to pick the best bathroom fans. In the end you will be able to make an informed, educated, and smart decision. Many building codes now require the use of bathroom extractor fans. Since these bathroom fans improve the environment of the room, it really does make sense to have one installed.
Make sure that you pick an extractor fan that can handle the correct capacity for the bathroom it will be installed in. You can calculate this requirement fairly easily; you’ll use meters as your unit of measurement. First measure the length, width, and lastly the height of the bathroom. Calculate the volume of the bathroom in cubic meters by multiplying the three measurements together. Inside the space of the bathroom, the extractor fan will need to completely change this calculated volume of air three times every hour. If you multiply the volume of the bathroom by three, you’ll be able to calculate this requirement.
The extractor fan should operate for fifteen minutes after the switch is shut off; using a timer will help with this. The reason behind this setup is to ensure that the leftover moisture still in the bathroom after a visitor takes a shower is extracted.
You can fit an extractor fan into a window by cutting a hole into a glass window and securely clamping the extractor fan over the hole. If the window is a sash window, it would be a good idea to set stops in the window – the stops will prevent the window from opening, which would block the fan.
Mounting the extractor fan above the bathroom shower will help to extract the moisture in the bathroom air very quickly. In order to install the fan above the shower, you’ll need to cut a hole into the top of the ceiling and securely install the extractor fan. You’ll want to run the duct through the crawl space in order to correctly fit the fan. You’ll need to access the attic, or if you’re working in a bathroom on the ground floor, you’ll probably need to lift the floor above. Depending on where the bathroom is located, you might need to route the duct a long way to reach an external room.
The fan won’t actually need to be fixed through a wall if you choose to mount the extractor fan underneath the soffit board.
Fitting the extractor fan into an external wall of the house is one of the most common and easiest installations. If the bathroom is built along an external wall, you’ll be able to use this option. Fitting the fan is easy in this case, because you can simply use a hole cutter to cut through the wall. The extractor fan can be fixed to the wall with the duct fixed in place as well.
Compared to other extractor fans used in other rooms of the home where the air is needed to be changed more frequently, bathroom fans are relatively less powerful. It’s because of this reason that most bathroom extractor fans are almost exactly identical.