Choosing the Right Bathroom Exhaust Fan
- A bathroom 50 square feet or smaller needs a 50-CFM fan.
- For bathrooms between 50 and 100 square feet, estimate approximately 1 CFM per square foot.
- If your bathroom is larger than 100 square feet, tally the CFM requirements for the individual fixtures to estimate your needs. ...
- If your bathroom is smaller than 50 square feet, a 50-CFM fan will work.
Which is the best Bath ventilation fan to get?
- Pro Breeze Electric Mini Dehumidifier
- SEAVON Electric Dehumidifier
- ALROCKET Dehumidifier
How to calculate fan size for bathrooms?
- Multiply the floor area of the bathroom by its ceiling height
- Divide by 60
- Multiply by 8
How to upgrade to a bigger Bath fan?
To install a bathroom vent fan upgrade kit:
- Remove the fan cover on the existing bathroom fan.
- Unplug and remove the old mounting plate and fan motor.
- Vacuum out the old housing enclosure to remove any dust.
- Match the mounting plate in the kit to the old one.
- Attach the new fan motor to the new mounting plate.
- Install the new fan motor and mounting plate in the old housing.
How big a ceiling fan should I buy?
They can range in size from 14 inches to 72 inches wide. However, the right fan will depend on the size (square footage) and height of your room. Make sure you buy a ceiling fan that is the appropriate size for your room to ensure that it performs properly.
How do I know what size bathroom exhaust fan I need?
The rule of thumb is that you need at least 1 CFM per square foot of room area. To determine the square footage of your bathroom, multiply the length times the width. For example, if your bathroom is six feet wide and nine feet long, its square footage is 54. Therefore, it should have a fan rated for at least 54 CFM.
Is it OK to oversize bathroom fan?
Yes, your bathroom fan can be too big. A bathroom exhaust fan that is much too large for the area will only increase your energy bill, fill your space with cold air in the winters, and ultimately, not perform its job effectively. In this case, bigger is not always better.
How many CFM do I need for a 5x7 bathroom?
Bathroom vent fans are rated by the cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air they move and should be sized to replace the air in the room at least eight times an hour. If your bathroom has an 8' ceiling, the CFM rating for your fan should be as least as high as the number of square feet (5' x 7' = 35 sq.
Can a bathroom fan have too much CFM?
The problem with the very high CFM ventilation fans is that they do not have enough open vent area to draw air in. The crack under the door is the prime source of available air for the fan to exhaust. If your fan is rated at 120 CFM, but is only vented for 65 CFM - it will only exhaust 65 CFM.
How do I know if my bathroom fan is strong enough?
We recommend doing a toilet paper test to ensure your fan is functioning effectively. Take 2 pieces of toilet paper. Turn the fan on and put the toilet paper up to the fan. The fan should suck the toilet paper up and it should stay attached to the fan.
Should a bathroom fan be above the shower?
Typically a bathroom exhaust fan should be mounted as close to or inside (if rated for tub shower use) to the shower or tub as possible. This will maximize the effectiveness of the unit. Units located in a powder room, should be directly over the toilet.
Is 70 CFM enough for a bathroom fan?
For most bathrooms this works out to one CFM per square foot of bathroom area. For example, a 7' x 10' bathroom would require a 70 CFM fan. A 50 CFM rating is recommended as a minimum for bathrooms 50 sq. ft.
How many CFM do I need for a 6x8 bathroom?
The key here is that this simple rule dictates that you need about 1 CFM per sq ft of the bathroom for proper ventilation (8 foot ceilings).
What is a good bathroom fan CFM?
A bathroom 50 square feet or smaller needs a 50-CFM fan. For bathrooms between 50 and 100 square feet, estimate approximately 1 CFM per square foot. If your bathroom is larger than 100 square feet, tally the CFM requirements for the individual fixtures to estimate your needs.
Is it better to have more CFM or less?
A higher CFM is always better for your kitchen fan. You can always run a high CFM hood on lower settings. It provides great ventilation by moving a heavy amount of air per minute. If you cook often or enjoy Asian cooking, a high powered fan is essential to keep grease out of your kitchen exhaust system.
Is a 110 CFM fan good for a main bathroom?
Most fans are rated from 50 to 110 CFM, but some models designed for large master bathrooms, rec rooms and home theaters can be rated even higher. Choose a fan that can ventilate at least 1 CFM per square foot of room. So, for an 80 square foot bathroom, select an 80 CFM fan.
Is it worth upgrading bathroom fan?
You want to make sure your bathroom is receiving sufficient air, and replacing your old bathroom fan with a newer model will provide adequate air circulation, remove stale odors, and vent out stagnant air.
What happens if your fan is too big?
A ceiling fan that's too big will overpower the room's design and visually pull the ceiling downwards; a fan that's too small won't properly circulate the air. Follow these ceiling fan size guidelines for the right proportions.
Is a 60 inch fan too big for a master bedroom?
Large rooms such as family rooms, large living rooms, large master bedrooms, and outdoor patios (ranging from 289 to 400 square feet) are best with 60" to 72" ceiling fans. These fans provide a large cone of air and can provide cooling throughout the room.
Is 60 inch fan too big?
Select a fan with the appropriate span: 36 inches for rooms up to 100 square feet, 42 inches for up to 200 square feet, 52 inches for up to 400 square feet, and either one 60-inch fan or two 52- or 56-inch fans for rooms larger than 400 square feet.
Do bigger fans work better?
Typically with both, the larger they are the better they are for performance. However, with DC motors you will find that on average they are more efficient by using 1/3 the energy of the typical AC motor. Plus, they are usually twice as strong for turning the blades on the fan.
How many CFM is a bathroom fan?
150 CFM Bathroom Fan will be required.
How many cubic feet per minute for bathroom exhaust fan?
Bathroom exhaust fans are rated by the cubic feet per minute CFM of air movement. The HVI (Home Ventilation Institute) recommends that 8 air changes per hour are required to properly vent the bathroom. For most bathrooms (those with an eight-foot ceiling) that would equate to 1cfm per square foot.
How many cubic feet are in a 10x10 bathroom?
We do this by multiplying the length by the width and by the height. So a 10′ by 10′ bathroom with 10′ ceilings would be 1000 cubic feet. Now we multiply by 8 (the number of air changes per hour we will need) which gives us 8000 cubic feet per hour and the divide by 60 (minutes in an hour). That gives us 133.3 CFM. Obviously they do not make an exhaust fan that size so we would round up to a 150 CFM fan.
How long does it take for a bathroom exhaust fan to run?
Just based on that, when you shut off your shower the fan still needs to be running for approximately 8 minutes to properly vent the room.
How long does a fan run?
This is mounted in place of the switch and allows your fan to run for a specified length of time. Typically, 5-10-15-30 minutes.
How much airflow does a bathroom exhaust fan need?
If the enclosed space is small, a 50 CFM fan should suffice. Otherwise, use the appropriate calculation based on the room size. Just remember that the fan needs airflow to do its job. If the door to the enclosure is closed and there's no gap at the bottom of the door, the fan will be starved of "makeup" air and will perform poorly. If the gap under the door in an enclosure is less than 5/8 inch, you should leave the door slightly ajar when using the toilet or shower when the enclosure's vent fan is running. Another solution is to install a louvered door that allows airflow.
How many CFM fan does a shower need?
For example, if your bathroom includes just a shower and a toilet, it needs a 100 CFM fan, while a bathroom with a jetted tub, toilet, and shower needs a 200 CFM fan.
How many square feet does a bathroom fan need?
The minimum allowed fan size is 50 CFM, so if your bathroom is, for example, only 42 square feet, you still need a 50 CFM fan. When sizing a vent fan, a factor to consider is duct size and length. Most 50 CFM fans will run well with 4-inch round duct.
How many cubic feet per minute for bathroom vent?
Bathroom vent fans are rated for the amount of air they can move, measured in cubic feet per minute, or CFM. Standard fan sizing applies to bathrooms that are 100 square feet or less. The rule of thumb is that you need at least 1 CFM per square foot of room area.
Why do bathrooms need vent fans?
In some jurisdictions, they are required even if windows are present. A vent fan does two important things: It removes hot, moist air and it can remove odors. Hot, moist air leads to mold growth, and odors lead to general unpleasantness.
How to calculate air exchange per hour?
Another calculation method is useful for large rooms with high ceilings (well over 8 feet). In this method, multiply the square footage by the ceiling height, divide by 60 (minutes in one hour), then multiply by 8 (recommended number of air exchanges per hour). For example, for a room that's 120 square feet and has a 10-foot ceiling: 1 120 x 10 = 1,200 2 1,200 divided by 60 = 20 3 20 x 8 = 160 CFM
How to determine the square footage of a bathroom?
To determine the square footage of your bathroom, multiply the length times the width. For example, if your bathroom is 6 feet wide and 9 feet long, its square footage is 54. Therefore, it should have a fan rated for at least 54 CFM.
Why You Need a Bathroom Fan
Moist air from showers, tubs and other fixtures in a bathroom can accumulate on bathroom surfaces, leading to rot and peeling paint and providing a good environment for mold and mildew growth. A properly installed bathroom fan provides ventilation, drawing humid air and odors out of the home.
Choosing the Right Bathroom Fan
Make sure the fan you choose is powerful enough to ventilate your bathroom. Use the room size to determine the necessary cubic feet per minute (CFM) rating of the fan. The CFM rating measures the volume of air the fan moves. A fan that's too small won't remove moisture and odors efficiently and will need to run longer, increasing wear on the motor.
Other Specifications
If you're replacing a fan, know the dimensions of the cutout for your existing fan so you can buy one that fits. Here are some other considerations when purchasing a bathroom fan:
Bathroom Fan Features
There are several features to consider when purchasing a bathroom fan:
Why do you need an extractor fan?
Bathroom extractor fans are mandatory in any bathroom without a window and still highly recommended in bathroom with windows. The exhaust fan removes moisture and humidity from your bathroom. Moisture and humidity can significantly alter the life expectancy of appliances.
What is the CFM rating of a bathroom exhaust fan?
Most bathroom exhaust fans come with a rating of between 50CFM-110CFM with larger commercial units offering higher capacities. The rating should be listed somewhere on the packaging or stores sometimes organized them based on CFM.
What does CFM mean?
CFM stands for Cubic Feet Per Minute. It measure the amount of air being moved per second. Here’s a definition from Webopedia. “A measurement of the velocity at which air flows into or out of a space.
How to measure the volume of a bathroom?
Measure the dimensions of your bathroom. Use a tape measure to measure the length, width, and height of your bathroom. If you have an unusually shaped bathroom, it might be easier to draw out your floor plan and label each wall to keep track of your dimensions. Next, use your dimensions to calculate the total volume of your bathroom.
Is MDF a good bathroom material?
Poor-ventilation is one of the main reasons why many people say MDF is not a good material in the bathroom. Although solid oak is better, MDF is fine when you have the right size exhaust fan. It’s especially important when you have MDF cabinets. MDF or Wood in the Bathroom.
