I have a two floor colonial. My second floor bathroom desperately needs a bathroom fan. It has a window but that just doesn’t help with the mildew growth (even with the A/C on to reduce humidity and the windows open during showers.)
I’m handy enough to do light renovation and am more than able to install the fan in the ceiling and handle the wiring. My problem is the hole in the roof that would be needed. I’ve only been on roofs as low as ranches (and that was over 20 years ago as an older teen with no sense of mortality.) Aside from a fear of falling, I just don’t have enough experience with any roofing work to be confident that I could cut a hole, install the exhaust duct, and patch it up to be waterproof.
So what kind of contractor would be best for this?
Roofer to just cut and install the exhaust?
GC – would this job even be big enough for them?
Handyman? – no knock against handymen but most of the ones that I am aware of are jack of all trades but master of none. I would be more than happy to hire one if anyone has a good one to recommend (Warren county NJ – Hackettstown).
Anybody know anyone in the Hackettstown, NJ area that they could recommend?
Replies
Roofer. If you know what's required and have it all ready to install, it'll make his job much easier.
Call a good carpenter or a roofer.
Where's shep live?
or another one of those NJ lunch bunch?
A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Shep is in South Plainfield, I'm in Scotch plains. We're both about an hour away (outside of rush hour). It's a little far for me for a small job like that. At least MY part would be small because I'm not going up on a roof to cut a hole.
A little while ago I was talking to a roofer who says he cuts holes and installs the roof vent very often. He supplies the vent. Unless he's doing the roof also, he charges about $200.
Saw this issue on This Old House recently. They vented the fan through the wall in the attic instead of the roof, which eliminated, or at least reduced the likelihood of a leak. It also seemed like an easier process than going through the roof. If you have an attic with a window, you can also vent straight out through the window, which is what I did. It seems to work fine.
fans are usually installed by electricians.
call and ask first if they'll run the duct and install the boot.
or a handyman ... or remodeler.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
What is the "boot" that you are referring to? Is that the vent poking out of the roof?
yup.
U gotta make sure who ever installs it is willing to deal with flashing the roof.
I assumed shingles ...
for a coupla years I sub'd finish carp for a bath company.
if no one else volunteered it came down to me to install the vents, luckily the electricians they dealt with had a coupla younger guys that didn't think twice about installing the fan in the hole I cut and running the vent up and out correctly.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Jeff - Yes, it is a normal shingled roof.
All,
So based on the answers given, here's what I plan on doing (let me know if I am missing anything):
Replace existing main light with a combo fan/light model
Replace light switch with a fan/light combo
Run smooth wall ductwork to approximate hole location in roof
Wrap ductwork in insulation
The roofer recommendation sounds good. I will call a few to see what they charge. The $200 mentioned is reasonable.
As mentioned earlier, I am comfortable with installing the fan and performing the wiring. I like using smooth wall ductwork for it's durability and ability to not hold on to dust bunnies/lint like a flexible duct would. I replaced my flex dryer vent duct with one and it's been great.
I understand the concerns regarding the condensation inside the duct. Other than the insulation, is there anything else I can do to help minimize or prevent the condensation?
Will the standard insulated duct sleeves at HD be sufficient? Or should I wrap it in something thicker?
Anything else I should be aware of or make sure I pay attention to?
"Need a bathroom fan...who do I call"
FartBusters !!
Life doesn't often leave a very easy trail to follow.
Nice! I thought of the same jingle when writing the title.
I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not but will ask. I could run the duct from the fan to a gable wall end (gables are on left and right ends of the house.) The left side has the garage roof which I could stand on safely.
The duct would have to run about ~16-18ft. Is that too long a run for a fan size for a bathroom that is ~10x8. I could buy a higher cfm fan if that would solve the issue.
Just be sure u run rigid ductwork (galvanized or aluminum) and insulate well as mentioned. The expandable and flex hoses that some people use will collect literally buckets of water. I have removed enough over the years. There is a really nice soffit vent out there. Problem with them is getting the ductwork over the top plate in the case of 2x4 trusses. The last couple I've done work pretty slick and no roof work. Less hastle and just as good a job. Good luck whichever way you go.
Gary
If you can avoid going thru the roof with it, do so. Condensation dripping back in the winter is a common problem when the duct slopes up.
http://grantlogan.net/
But you all knew that. I detailed it extensively in my blog.
Ideally, I would love to put the fan directly in the shower. The shower ceiling is lower than the main ceiling. I don't believe there is anything in it. I think it was just by design. If I put the fan in the shower, then I could go thru the sidewall (which would be OK since I have a sunroom roof that I could stand on to work on the outside of the house.) I've been on that sunroom roof many times.
Unfortunately, I guess I would have to cut thru ceramic tile and then retile the entire shower area (as the tiles are sooo old that I would never be able to find a match.) For now, that's not in the cards.
If I vent out the roof (thru an unconditioned attic) and 1) wrap the duct in insulation and 2) run the fan with one of those self-shutoff timers, will that take care of the condensation issue?
With a panasonic fan light combo-you can mount that direct to framing or blocking from below. The housing has a flange and holes. Can be mounted over the finished surface-the light/grill covers this type of mounting when done.
Run your electric to the soffit space from above. Cut your hole in the outside wall at the proper location. Affix a flexible hose packaged as a kit with a wall boot-Broan at least has one-. Slide the hose into the hole from the outside and fasten the boot to the wall (caulk behind and around). Go inside and hook the hose up to the still loose fan houseing that you've got wired and balanced on the top of your ladder. Trim off any over excess hose first. Lift the housing up to the hole and screw the flange to your blocking. Insert bulbs, put on the trim.
Turn on the fan/light combo that's protected by a gfci and take a shower. A timer switch for the fan is a good idea. Lutron I think makes a 10 to 60 minute push button fan switch-fits decora trim. You'll also have a sw. for the light and night lite option if you use it.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Run your electric to the soffit space from above...
The problem is the soffit forms the ceiling in the shower and it is tiled. I'm not up for cutting a hole in tile right now...especially when I don't have matching tiles.
Or are you saying that the portion of the fan visible in the room/shower will cover up the hole? Do you have a link to a fan model that I can see?
Look at the panasonic site and find the fan lite combo.
You would run electric "from above". From the attic down into that soffit space above the shower. Shove stuff whatever it takes-crawl on your belly on a board-you are not "hooking up" anything-just getting those wires (look at how many you'll need for whatever it is you're powering-sure you could do the fan/light but separate if you can).
Cut hole in side wall and use rigid duct if you can stuff that into the hole and miraculously hit the fan exhaust port. Or, use enough rigid that you can make the final hook up with flex which might allow you a way to do it.
If you want rigid all the way, can't get to the soffit area any other way than the hole you cut for the fan housing (remember, you're not using the hanger bars, you're screwing the housing to the framing or blocking), you're probably screwed if you don't use some flex. I'm assuming also that the soffit will remain warm (trapped area below the orig. bath ceiling or sheeted over up top ) so condensation might not be a problem. If soffit is open above, you should be able to wiggle over there and hook up rigid, insulate and be done.
Best of luck.
Yes emaxx. The fan grill/lite trim will cover the cut opening which just has to be the size of the housing. Good luck finding the framing in that ceiling.
A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Edited 3/13/2008 7:22 pm ET by calvin
Hey,
A fan over the shower requires a 'wet' rated fan on a GFCI breaker at the panel.
Got those? If not, can you put them in? Cause you will, if not now, if you ever try to sell.
skip
REF: 2006 IEC
"A fan over the shower requires ... a GFCI breaker at the panel."
You sure about that? I thought GFCI for a shower fan was optional, or depended on the switch location or somthin'.
Need to find my Code Check. Hmmm.
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
Pretty darn sure. I am certain that anyone who does infrequent or occasional electrical work will be astonished at the recent code changes.
No kidding about the code changes. Reason I asked is that I just installed one, on the "Load" end of a wall-mounted GFCI, just 'cause I think it's a good idea even if it's not required, and the inspector didn't bother to ask or check. He did check to make sure the light had a lense, but didn't seem to care about GFCI for the light or the fan. IIRC, the code used to require GFCI only of the switch was in reach of the shower. Just wondering what it is now.
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
Code now calls for GFCI protection of overhead lights and fans depending on the proximity to the tub/shower. I seem to recall within 12"s, but could be 18. This way when your fixture decides to jump into your tub while you're in it, your protected.
At least we'll see an end to the constant headlines about the thousands of accidental bath electrocutions caused by falling fixtures. And at a cost of only $35 per bathroom, per new house.
"At least we'll see an end to the constant headlines about the thousands of accidental bath electrocutions caused by falling fixtures. "
I hate when that happens ...
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
It's all about affordable housing Jeff!
As a roofer i bet i see 50 percent of the hoses going from fan to vent off and just hanging there. Get some zip ties to hand to whoever does it