Quiet Bathroom Fan

**dgale** · 03-22-2011, 07:36 PM

I have a small bathroom (50 sq feet) in my 1920's Craftsman Bungalow - the existing fan is noisy and and as a result, my wife refuses to use it...the result is me repainting my bathroom beadboard ceiling every 3 years as the paint cracks from the excess humidity. The existing fan vents up into the attic crawlspace and out via one of the gable-ends (~15' run through the attic).

I'm hoping someone can advise me on a replacement fan that will be quiet and efficient so I can convince her to start using it when she takes a shower.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

**Terry** · 03-22-2011, 09:57 PM

Panasonic

I have them in my home, and when I tell people the fan is on, they think I'm kidding.
I use a timer switch, otherwise nobody would remember to turn them off.

**dgale** · 03-23-2011, 06:49 AM

Thanks for the tip - the fan is currently wired together with the overhead light, which she doesn't use since she doesn't want to hear the fan...she uses the lights over the sink instead. A timer is a good idea, although hopefully everyone would remember to turn it off simply because the light is on, although I guess a downside is that people will tend to switch it off when they leave the bathroom, while the fan should probably stay on for a while afterward.

Any tips on sizing a fan for this bathroom?

**jadnashua** · 03-23-2011, 10:36 AM

You want in the order of 8-10 air exchanges per hour. So, your 50sqft*8ft=400 cu ft*10/60 = 66 cuft/min range. You could probably get by with say a 50cuft/min. Many of the websites have calculators that suggest sizes. I assumed 8' ceilings. Some of the Panasonic models are adjustable. They are available with or without lamps, and some have heat as well.

**dgale** · 03-24-2011, 07:22 PM

Thanks for the help! The existing fan is vented via flex duct but I'm assuming the when I upgrade to a new fan that it will operate more efficiently if I upgrade to a rigid duct as well?

**jadnashua** · 03-25-2011, 11:02 AM

There are all sorts of different ducts available. Some of the insulated flexible heating ducts aren't bad. The cheap ones like some use on a dryer are not good at all. Depends on how smooth the inside is. Insulating it helps get all the moist air out rather than having it condense in the cold winter attic and then rain or drip down on you in the bathroom.