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soffit exhaust fan termination

DoRight | Posted in Construction Techniques on January 24, 2015 02:10am

Can some one point me inteh direction of a termination (… ? cap? device? ???) for an bath exhaust fan which would be able to be installed on the underside of a soffit which would ahve some form of baffle?  THe soffit in mind is an unvented soffit, one application is in a soffit on the side of a shed dormer and then perhaps the soffit of a dog house dormer.

Obviously terminations venting on a side wall have gravity operated baffles but if teh termination points 100% down ????

 

Thanks everyone

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  1. schrickker | Jan 27, 2015 08:55am | #1

    Soffit exhaust fan termination

    Braun has a wall cap with a floating ball check valve that could be used in a soffit (model EV100). There is also a model 885BL with a spring loaded baffle. Other manufacturers may have something similar. I found these at Home Depot.

    1. DoRight | Jan 27, 2015 04:04pm | #2

      did you mean ...

      Did you mean Broan? not Braun?

      In either case I could nto find any EV100 or 885BL?

      Thanks.

  2. schrickker | Jan 28, 2015 07:50am | #3

    Do you mean ..

    Yes, sorry, Broan. I'm in Canada and I thought if we can get it in Canada you can get it in the US but I looked at homedepot.com and they don't have Broan. Take a look at http://www.homedepot.ca (not .com) and type Exhaust Vents into the search box and you will see what is available. Perhaps you can find something similar in your area.

    1. DanH | Jan 28, 2015 08:43am | #4

      It is hard to find a decent soffit vent, IIRC.  The concept suffers from what I feel is an unjustified reputation for being problematic (partially because the wrong vents are often used, I suspect).

  3. renosteinke | Jan 29, 2015 12:09pm | #5

    Soffit exhaust Frowned upon

    One can look at the various codes (IRC 303, 1506; UMC 504) and reasonably infer that they really don't want you to vent through the attic soffit at all- though they don't directly come out and say so.

    One issue is the UMC 504 requirement that all such vents be at least three feet from anyother building openings. That is, they do not want the stuff being exhausted to be quickly brought into the house through another vent.  In practice, this means you vent through the roof wherever possible.

    1. mark122 | Jan 29, 2015 02:26pm | #6

      we are not allowed to come out the soffit in these parts. Roof or side wall only. like you point out its open to interpretation, which our code officals here have interpreted a certain way and you know how they are when they make up their minds...best not to kick a sleeping bear.

    2. DoRight | Jan 31, 2015 01:49pm | #7

      Yes

      Sure, I don't want damp exhuast air going back inside teh attic through another soffit vent.  Teh application I have is a fan in a dormer.  teh dormer soffit would not have vents in the soffit.

      1. wmheinz | Feb 05, 2015 05:24pm | #8

        Gable end?

        Any reason you don't want to vent it out the gable end of the gable?  You could conceal it behind and incorporate it with gable end vent....seal up all the vent from the rear except where the air duct/flapper is attached..

        1. DoRight | Feb 05, 2015 07:38pm | #9

          Any reason?

          1. no gable vents all ridge vent.

          2. hard to explain, but there is no gable even close (alcove area, with two valleys)

          3. The area directly outside of teh 1/2 bath is a porch.

          I either:  a. vent out eth wall (typcially not teh best, they say) b. out and down in the porch ceiling c. carry it all teh way out and down in the soffit. d. OR, I suppose up through a second story and out the roof (long shot and I hate roof penetrations.

          Thanks for asking.

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