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A bathroom exhaust fan is necessary for keeping your bathroom in peak condition. Working hard throughout the year to keep your bathroom healthy and in great shape, bathroom exhaust fans are simple yet essential devices that play a crucial role in maintaining good air quality and preventing mould and mildew growth.
Here, The Bathroom Showroom answers 10 of the most common questions about bathroom exhaust fans to help you better understand the importance of these essential bathroom additions. 

1. Why Is a Bathroom Exhaust Fan Important?

Bathroom exhaust fans are highly recommended in all bathrooms regardless of size to keep this space correctly ventilated at all times while helping protect the bathroom fixtures and fittings. A bathroom exhaust fan plays a crucial part therefore in:
  • Moisture removal: Prevents mould, mildew, and rot, while keeping moisture levels in check.
  • Odour removal: Eliminates any unpleasant and lingering smells.
  • Ventilation: Improves air quality for all users, ensuring a healthier space.

2. How Often Should a Bathroom Exhaust Fan Be Cleaned?

A regular essential bathroom job is cleaning your bathroom extractor fan. A simple task that needs no longer than 10 minutes, caring, cleaning and maintaining your exhaust fan will ensure it continues to deliver peak performance and last for many years. 
  • Monthly: It’s good practice to carry out any visual checks of your bathroom fan’s surface and if necessary, wipe over the front of it to remove any dust and debris.
  • Every Six Months: A more extensive clean of your exhaust fan should be performed at least twice a year and involve you getting further into the fan and doing a thorough clean/check. 

3. How Do I Know if My Bathroom Exhaust Fan Is Working Properly?

The most common signs of a bathroom exhaust fan working correctly include:
  • Noticeably Good Ventilation: One of the most significant signs that your bathroom exhaust fan is working correctly is proper ventilation. When you turn on the fan, you should feel the airflow immediately pulling the moist air out of the bathroom.
  • Minimal Moisture: If your bathroom mirror fogs up quickly during a hot shower but clears up soon after turning on the exhaust fan, it's a good indication that the fan is doing its job.
  • Odour Elimination: A properly functioning exhaust fan should successfully remove any unpleasant odours from your bathroom. If you notice lingering odours after using the fan, it might be a sign that it's not working correctly.

4. What Are the Different Types of Bathroom Exhaust Fans?

The two most common types of bathroom fans include axial and centrifugal and you can also find inline fans. 
  • Axial fans: These are the most popular choices, with blades that rotate on a central axis.
  • Centrifugal fans: These types of fans push air through a curved housing and are often used for larger bathrooms.
  • Inline fans: These fan types are located in the ductwork, rather than in the ceiling.

5. How Do I Choose the Right Size Bathroom Exhaust Fan?

Bathroom exhaust fans aren't a standard size so your choice here will depend on two different factors, including:
  • The size of your bathroom: Larger bathrooms will need a more powerful fan that can cover the entire area, while smaller bathrooms work better with exhaust fans dedicated to small spaces.  
  • Check the CFM rating: This indicates the amount of air the fan can move per minute, that is cubic feet per minute. For best practice 1 CFM at least per square foot of room works well when calculating the best size for your bathroom. 

6. Who Can Install a Bathroom Exhaust Fan?

Many homeowners wonder if they can install a bathroom exhaust fan by themselves. While it may be possible for some people, it does however require some electrical knowledge and may be subject to local building codes. 
Because of the rather complex process with such an installation, this is more suited to experienced DIYers with the right skills. Otherwise, the best practice is to consider hiring a trade professional here to ensure a safe and compliant installation.

7. Why Is My Bathroom Exhaust Fan So Noisy?

There are several common reasons why a bathroom exhaust fan can become noisy in operation. When you do notice it’s making more sound than usual the first step is to turn the power to the fan off and investigate it. 
Make sure the fan is clean and free of any dirt or debris that could be obstructing it. At the same time, check for any issues with the blades of the fan housing. Lastley, when fitting the fan back together again, ensure the mounting screws are tightened.

8. Can a Bathroom Exhaust Fan Be Installed in a Shower?

Yes, bathroom exhaust fans can be installed in shower areas, but you’ll need to ensure that your chosen fan is rated for this area of the bathroom. This usually means extractor fans with a rating of IPX4 for fixed shower heads. For those movable shower heads, a rating of IPX5 is recommended for increased protection. 

9. Can a Bathroom Exhaust Fan Be Used as a Whole-House Fan?

No, bathroom exhaust fans are designed to remove excess moisture and odours from smaller, confined spaces, like a bathroom. So, they’re not powerful enough to effectively ventilate an entire house.
It’s advisable to invest in a dedicated whole-house ventilation system instead which can efficiently cool down the entire house by drawing in cool outdoor air through open windows and expelling hot indoor air through the attic. These fans are powerful enough to circulate air throughout the entire house, providing better indoor air quality and comfort.

10. How Do I Know if My Bathroom Exhaust Fan Is Energy-Efficient?

An energy-efficient bathroom exhaust fan can help reduce energy usage in this space, therefore helping you save on your energy bills.
  • Look to those low-energy exhaust fans - Though bathroom fans use little power, a low-energy choice will offer enhanced peace of mind. 
  • Look for the energy label: This indicates that the fan meets specific energy efficiency standards.
  • Check the CFM per watt rating: Higher ratings mean more airflow per unit of energy.

Keep Your Bathroom Ventilated and Healthy 

Ultimately, every bathroom should include a bathroom exhaust fan as part of its design to ensure a healthy and happy bathroom space for all users.
The best way to keep the humidity levels under control in this space, a bathroom exhaust fan will keep your bathroom suite looking as good as new while ensuring this space remains fresh all year round,
For further information, take a look at our Blog and Rest & Relaxation section where we have several helpful articles on bathroom ventilation.
If you’re looking for bathroom exhaust fans near me, book an appointment with The Bathroom Showroom. With over 290 showrooms, we’re the experts in helping turn dream bathrooms into a reality.