Hey All,
I have a kitchen remodel job that includes the construction of a small bathroom in an adjoining space. My plan was to run rigid exhaust pipe from the bathroom exhaust fan and then “y” in to the range hood fan before sending it through a wall cap.
Is this a good plan? Do I need a special baffle? Are there safety concerns?
Thanks,
Rob R.
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Replies
Is it a good plan? Absolutely not. The reasons are many. A few a listed below.
Do I need a special baffle? A spring loaded in-line butterfly damper in each separate exhaust duct before the Wye.
Are ther any safety concerns? No.
When you tie two into one of any "pushed" air streams (as opposed to two "pulled" air streams), the fans will "fight" and the bigger one will always win. In other words, you would never be able to exhaust the one with the less powerful fan, while the other operated. If you did this, and you had an imperfect seal on the backdraft dampers, I can only image which could be worse: backdrafting toilet room exhaust over cook surface or backdrafting cooking odors into the powder room.
"I can only image which could be worse: backdrafting toilet room exhaust over cook surface or backdrafting cooking odors into the powder room."
One of these things is not like the other.
Hey! That's nice, your bathroom smells like fried chicken.
or
Yuck! This kitchen smells like ****!
I was thinking if mabe you were cooking fish...
I hear you. I made fish tacos last night and I walked downstairs this morning to the glorious smell of whiting. Which always serves to remind me that grilled fish is better than stovetop fish for more than one reason.
Speaking of vent fans, I live in a townhome now and it has one of those over the stove microwave vent units that vents into your face. If I remember correctly, you can vent those outside, right?
a.
I believe so, depends on the specific unit you have. I know some are designed or at least marketed as "convertible". The fans on these are fairly weak. Given the effort required to convert the unit to vent outside (remove unit, add exhaust duct and wall/roof cap, modify unit, re-install), you may want to look at upgrading, if the budget allows.
Hey Tim,
Thanks for the note and the advice. I don't want either room smelling like fish! I scouted out another option for the bathroom fan today. It's much further away, but it should work.
Learning every job....
Rob
Move the fan to the outside wall, add the Y, and exhaust both rooms at the same time. Or at least move the fan so it's downstream of the Y.
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
yikes.
do NOT do this.
first of all your code inspector won't allow it.
secondly, the cfm requirements for a hood fan an a bathroom powder room fan are drastically different. could be a factor of 10.
two separate fans. two separate ducts. two separate wall caps.
carpenter in transition
Edited 7/7/2008 6:23 pm ET by timkline