skip to main content

who to hire to vent a bathroom fan

11 years ago

Our master bath and the guest bath both had exhaust fans when we purchased the house. However, the fans are vented into the attic and not to the exterior. Our guess is either it was not code at the time the house was built or the previous owner added them. When we remodeled the master bath earlier this year we upgraded the exhaust fan. We are now planning to do an update or small remodel on the guest bath and will also be upgrading that fan. My husband did most of the work on our master bathroom including replacing the fan and will be doing the work on the guest bathroom.

We want to have both fans vented to the exterior. Our house has a walk out basement so the back of the house, where the bathrooms are located, is three stories. Neither of us are comfortable on a ladder that high or getting onto the roof. I was going to call a roofer, but in looking at the attic and area above the guest bath it seems to make more sense to vent it out the side of house and limit the roof protrusions. I don't know if the master can be vented out the side or if it will have to go through the roof. Is this something a roofer would do? I tried searching online and most of the suggestions were to hire an electrician, but we already have the electrical. We just need someone to properly install the vents in the siding and/or roof. Any suggestions?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

lotteryticket
11 years ago
Hi TSG,
A decent carpenter should be able to handle it (and probably a ladder tall enough to do it). They also will probably be cheaper than an electrician. Maybe your electrician can recommend one.
0
christine40
11 years ago
we used a handyman to do ours. we had an electrician install the fan, but as far as exhausting it--as soon as roof was involved they weren't going to touch it. We are currently in a master bath remodel, they are using the exhaust already in place, but with new ducting, electrician installed the fan, but the GC is doing the ducting. Hope that helps.
0
Related Discussions
Bathroom fan venting issue
Q
Comments (4)
In my opinion, it's a DIY project. I did three of my own bathroom fans, and one was in between levels of the house. The first thing I noticed is that you have missing insulation between these two fans. Another missing item is insulation that should wrap those ducts for the fans. I don't know what your area is, but I've heard around here that it's not generally recommended to join two fans to one vent, but if it must be done that the joint should be close to the exhaust vent itself. Yes, those bends are certainly going to be one source of problem. The vent on the left of your picture also looks like it still has an old 90Â° elbow attached to the new duct. If properly done, you would have a roof vent for each fan. The ducts would be composed of rigid ducting. This is available at Home Depot and Lowe's. You should use foil tape to seal the connections. Lastly you would need to wrap the ducts with insulation (foil backed insulation rolls are easy to find). Don't forget to locate your missing insulation that should be laying between those fans!
...See More
bathroom vent fans
Q
Comments (2)
Yes, you can wire them separately. I advise putting the fan on a timer and the light on a different switch. The timer I used was Leviton 611-6230M that has presets for 5, 10, 15, and 30 seconds. We use the short times to clear out bad smells and the 30 minutes during/after a shower. You can get other models with different preset times. Sorry, I don't recall which ventilation fan models we bought, but I am very happy with them.
...See More
Do you have Vent Fans in the Bathrooms?
Q
Comments (22)
Our very tiny master bath (40 square feet) doesn't have one and never did. There is a big viga running across the ceiling in this bath, so I'm not sure where a fan would go if I wanted one (I would consider one of those remote units like pal has, but we have a flat roof with no real space between roof and ceilings). The room has a window, though, which helps. There is a newer combo heat/fan/light unit in the main bath. Neither bath has ceiling light fixtures, so there is no competition.
...See More
Replacing wall vent for bathroom vent.
Q
Comments (3)
The installation of a new vented fan isn't difficult if you hire a professional to do it. If it is 'very old' as you say, then I would recommend replacing the entire assembly: fan, duct & duct cover. Newer fans have 'dampers' that prevent cold air from coming back in & a newer model would vent your bathroom properly & safely as well.
...See More
Related Professionals
Hammond Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Newington Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · 93927 Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Charlottesville Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Overland Park Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Spokane Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Springfield Glass & Shower Door Dealers · Pittsburg Glass & Shower Door Dealers · Pinole Glass & Shower Door Dealers · Key Biscayne Cabinets & Cabinetry · Warr Acres Cabinets & Cabinetry · Watauga Cabinets & Cabinetry · Fraser Window Treatments · The Woodlands Window Treatments · Oakland Window Treatments

Related Stories

PAINTING How to Hire a Painter to Do Your Interiors

Here’s what to know about hiring a painting contractor and what to expect during the job

WORKING WITH PROS 5 Steps to Help You Hire the Right Contractor

By Dylan Chappell Architects

Don't take chances on this all-important team member. Find the best general contractor for your remodel or new build by heeding this advice

KITCHEN OF THE WEEK Kitchen of the Week: Fans of Traditional Style Go For a ‘Mad Men’ Look

By Mitchell Parker

The TV show inspires a couple to turn their back on the style they knew and embrace a more fun and funkier vibe in their kitchen

BATHROOM WORKBOOK How to Remodel a Bathroom

By Mitchell Parker

Create a vision, make a budget, choose your style and materials, hire the right pros and get the project done

KITCHEN DESIGN How to Choose the Right Hood Fan for Your Kitchen

By The Sky is the Limit Design

Keep your kitchen clean and your home's air fresh by understanding all the options for ventilating via a hood fan

BASEMENTS Tricky Basement Bathroom? Cool Design Opportunity!

By MyFixitUpLife show

Have some fun with your bathroom design while getting all the venting, privacy and storage you need

SELLING YOUR HOUSE 10 Tricks to Help Your Bathroom Sell Your House

By Mink Home Staging

As with the kitchen, the bathroom is always a high priority for home buyers. Here’s how to showcase your bathroom so it looks its best

BATHROOM DESIGN 9 Surprising Considerations for a Bathroom Remodel

By MyFixitUpLife show

Don't even pick up a paint chip before you take these bathroom remodel aspects into account

REMODELING GUIDES Bathroom Workbook: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost?

By Mitchell Parker

Learn what features to expect for $3,000 to $100,000-plus, to help you plan your bathroom remodel

BATHROOM DESIGN The Family Home: 8 Easy Tips for an Organized Bathroom

By Danyelle Mathews

If your bathroom has that hit-by-a-hurricane look that tends to come with kids, sort things out with these tried and true ideas

Sponsored

More Discussions

mixing real stone with Porcelain version

0

ideas for storage

1

Bath tub storage switch

3

Alcove tub/shower combo -- lots of questions

0

Enginerred Marble Vs Quartz bath Vanity

1