An exhaust fan in your bathroom can make maintenance easier, prevent structural damage, and protect your family from health-related problems. Many homeowners overlook this simple project because they don’t recognize its benefits.
Reasons to Install a Bathroom Exhaust Fan
An exhaust fan can remove moisture from the air. This is particularly important in the bathroom, which can get filled with moisture every time someone takes a shower. If the room isn’t ventilated, that moisture can lead to mold, which can endanger your family’s health.
If mold is already a problem in your bathroom, installing an exhaust fan can help. It can remove spores from the air and keep mold from growing, or at least slow down the rate of growth.
Removing moisture from the air can keep the bathroom mirror from fogging up whenever someone takes a shower. Ventilation can also prevent damage to the bathroom itself. Moisture that isn’t removed from the room can cause paint to peel and make wooden doors and cabinets warp.
An exhaust fan can improve air quality by removing odors from the air and making the bathroom more pleasant for the next person who needs to use it. A fan can also draw out chemical fumes and make the air safer to breathe. Cleaning products that are used in bathrooms typically contain bleach and other harsh chemicals that can cause respiratory irritation or aggravate existing health conditions when inhaled.
An Exhaust Fan Can Be a Better Solution Than Opening a Window
In some areas, local building codes don’t require a bathroom exhaust fan if there is a window that can be opened and that meets a minimum size requirement. Even if your bathroom has a window, opening it to provide ventilation might create more problems than it solves.
In the winter, you will let in cold air. In the summer, opening the window to release steam from the bathroom can instead allow humid outdoor air to enter your home. With a bathroom exhaust fan, you won’t have to worry about those issues.
Exhaust Fans Have a Range of Options
Modern bathroom exhaust fans are designed to run quietly. Some fans also have built-in light fixtures and heaters. Certain models can turn on and off automatically in response to motion or a change in the humidity level in the bathroom.
You May Be Able to Install a Bathroom Exhaust Fan Yourself
If your bathroom already has the required ductwork and wiring, you should be able to install an exhaust fan yourself. Sometimes a fan is set up to transfer moist air from the bathroom to the attic. That can cause mold to grow upstairs, which can lead to structural damage and health problems. Humidity that is removed from a bathroom should be directed outside the house. If your home doesn’t have the appropriate ductwork, hire a contractor or an HVAC technician to install a bathroom exhaust fan.
