Home Upgrade

Installing a bathroom fan where one doesn’t exist can be a major improvement in a bathroom. This project can be completed in a short period of time. But major problems can happen if you cut corners. This article will show you exactly how to install a bathroom fan where one doesn’t exist.  Disclaimer: This project involves working with electricity,  which can be dangerous if not done correctly. If you are uncomfortable with this type of work I recommend seeking help from a professional. If you are handy with tools this project won’t be hard for you to complete. On average this job is around 1-2 hours. It’s best to do it all at once because the power will be turned off to your bathroom while you are working.Here is a list of the required equipment and tools for the job. Equipment Bathroom Fan Ducting Vent Cover Pipe Clamp Tools Electric Drill Drillbit Extension Drill Bits Multi Screwdriver Hole Saw Drywall Saw Drywall Saw Will Adding A Fan Overload The Electrical Circuit? There are ways to tell if the circuit is safe to add a bathroom fan. This is important to know because you don’t want the circuit to trip every time you turn the fan on.  This article does not cover the process of checking the circuit’s load capacity. A certified electrician can help you with this if needed. Steps For Adding A Bathroom Exhaust Fan Below are the main steps to installing a bathroom fan. They don’t need to be done in this order, but all these steps need to be completed in order for it to be completed properly. And one of the steps cant be done without preceding another step.  Choosing the placement Attaching the vent properly Installing the electrical Securing the fan in place How To Choose The Bathroom Fans Placement There are a few factors that go into choosing the fan’s placement. Below are some of the key factors that go into mounting and running the duct. The consideration of running the power to the fan will be covered in the “Installing The Electrical” section below.  The fan needs to be secured to a joist in the ceiling. Joists are pieces of lumber that run parallel to each other, that the sheet rock on the ceiling is secured to. One of the edges of the fan box will be flush against the edge of a joist for securement.   Use a stud finder to find a joist that is relatively close to where you want the fan to be. The joists should be running in the direction of an exterior wall to help with future steps. You will run the vent in that direction without drilling through the joists.    You want the fan to be somewhat in the middle of the bathroom. This generally looks good because its more symmetrical.    Placing it closer to the toilet or the shower will assist in moving unwanted air out of the bathroom quickly. Don’t place it tight against one of the walls because this will be worse for airflow.   If your fan has a light, keep that in mind when deciding on a location. You may want to have it slightly closer to the sink to cast the extra light in that area.    It helps with the installation process if you place it close to an arms length from the exterior wall. But this isn’t set in stone because there are drill extensions that can help with a future step if needed.    Hold the vent box up to the ceiling where you want the fan to go. Make sure one edge of the box is touching a joist before you trace its border with a pencil.   Use a drywall saw to cut the opening for the fan. You want to have your safety glasses on and a dust mask for this part. There will be quite a bit of drywall dust that will fall. Run The Vent Duct Once you have a hole cut in the ceiling, you now have access to work in the ceiling cavity.   Find the location the duct will vent outside. Get on a ladder and peek inside the opening to see what you are working with. Find a spot that is roughly equal distance from the top and bottom on the exterior wall.    Drill with a pilot hole in the exterior wall midway between the top and bottom of the cavity. You may need an extender on your drill, depending on how far your opening is from the wall. I am using a one foot drill extension for this part of the project.   Once you have a pilot hole you can take the drill outside. Here you will use the four inch hole saw to make a larger opening.    Use the pilot hole to guide your drill placement. Once this hole is completed you can move to the next step.  Install The Electricity The fan will need its own designated switch to be hooked up to. Some fans have extra features that can be used by other switches. If your fan is one of these you may want to consider a switch that has multiple functions on it.   We covered fan placement above. But there is one thing to consider on the fan’s placement when considering the electricity. The electrical wire will need to be run from the switch to the fan. It’s easiest if the fan is in direct alignment between the joists with the switch. But you still can mount the fan where you want it even if it’s not lined up with the switch.   Any joist will need a small hole drilled through it for the wire. To do this you will need to cut a hole in the drywall near the joist. Usually this is done with a hole saw. I recommend a 4 inch one, because this is the same bit that is used for