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Exhaust fans for Kitchens and Bathrooms
Bathroom exhaust fans and kitchen exhaust fans (with light,
eventually) are an excellent way to avoid moisture.
See also: Kitchen
ligthing and
bathroom lighting
Moisture & Exhaust fans
Bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans remove moist air, and helps prevent
problems as mildew and mold. In the case of bathrooms you just need to run the
ventilating fan during your showers and baths, and some minutes
after it (around 15 minutes or a little more). In kitchens, run
ventilating fans during
and
some minutes after cooking...
Bathroom Exhaust Fans & Capacity
The capacity of bathroom exhaust fans is measured by the volume
of air exhausted within a certain period of time (CFM). To find
the fan capacity you may multiply the bathroom square footage by
1.1 (for an 8ft ceiling/2,5m) or 1.5 (for a 9ft/2,75m ceiling).
An example: a 5ft x 10ft bathroom (50 square feet) needs a 55
CFM/75 CFM minimum exhaust fan (for a ceiling 8 feet or a
ceiling of 9 feet, respectively).
Some exhaust fans also include heaters (for winter months, to
warm up the bathroom, in the case of bathroom exhaust fans), which demands an additional switch.
Installing the bathroom exhaust fan
Exhaust fans installation differ by model. There are many
particularities and details (an example: some simpler fans allow
insulation to be right next to the fan housing, but most of them
- particularly those with lights or heaters - require dams
between the joists and a reasonable distance between the fan and
the insulation material). Fan manufacturers include specific
installation rules in their products – which you should study
and follow with care. Installing is not a just a question of
connecting the duct to the fan housing.
See also: Ceiling fans
installation
Bathroom exhaust fan & Lighting
Many exhaust fans models include a light kit – which can be an
energy efficient fluorescent light bulb. Choose a qualified
model (Energy Star…) with a fluorescent light, to get higher
energy savings.
Exhaust fans with light, use separate switches: one for the fan
and one for the light source (and eventually a third one for a
night light).
See also:
House Lighting Basics
Low-voltage
outdoor lighting kits;
Outdoor solar lighting.
Landscape lighting design
The
Lighting Association
Back to top Outdoor Lighting Basics
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