Anyone Ever Replaced a Bathroom Fan?

[Indianamom2]

I think our bathroom exhaust fan is not working properly. It sounds fine, but I'm guessing it's the orginal one to the house (about 17 years old if so) and there is something streaking down our bathroom walls from about the top of the shower level down. I have no idea what it is, but I'm wondering if it's somehow a build up of moisture because the fan's not working. I clean it off...paint...and it comes right back.

I think I might try to replace the exhaust fan before I repaint in there, just in case, but is it an easy DIY job? Anyone ever done it before...or have thoughts on what is making our walls streaky?

[ThreeofUs]

Really depends on where it's routed to and how. I'd turn off the electric to it, and pull it down (verrrryyy gently, so could put it back) and see (1) what kind of fan it is and what the inches/sones are supposed to be and (2) where and how it's routed.

If it's a normal fan, it'll be pretty easy to see all of this and it'll go right through the wall. That is, it will look easy. So maybe 1/2 day job to take out and put a new one in if you're handy.

If it's doesn't appear to be a no-brainer, I'd get an electrician to do it.

GL!


ETA: You might have mold in your drywall, if a streak keeps coming through. This is an entirely different problem and should be handled by a contractor and a plumber. Hope that's NOT it! :)

[Indianamom2]

Ugh, I certainly hope it's not mold! It's sort of a yellowish color and sort of waxy-looking at the very bottom of the streaks (the streaks end in a little dot of yellow). I know, sounds disgusting, but doesn't look mold-like to me at all. I just have no idea what it is.

[octmom]

No advice on the fan, but you might need to prime with a coat of Kilz (or something similar) before re-painting with your regular paint. It's a stain-blocker.

http://www.masterchem.com/masterchem/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=c05f90033f9ff110VgnVCM1000008a 05d103RCRD

[ThreeofUs]

Ugh, I certainly hope it's not mold! It's sort of a yellowish color and sort of waxy-looking at the very bottom of the streaks (the streaks end in a little dot of yellow). I know, sounds disgusting, but doesn't look mold-like to me at all. I just have no idea what it is.


Weird. Like a drip of something oil-based (like sealant or whatever), then? Why not ask the folks at your local Lowe's or HD and see what they say. Kilz certainly works, but there are other surface preps that might be more appropriate.

[Indianamom2]

So I've been looking online for the last hour now and I'm almost certain now that it's just condensation from the shower that's building up and then slowly running down the walls. Sounds like my exhaust fan isn't doing a good enough job.

I'm pretty sure that's the problem since this is the only room that sees daily showers and it's the only room with this problem. We do run the exhaust fan each time, and usually for a while after the shower, but I'm guessing the fan just isn't cutting it.

Ahhh...the joys of homeownership never end! So now I need a new fan, a good cleaning, a great primer and some excellent paint. Glad it's a tiny room!

[cestkaren]

You may be able to get a replacement fan - the motor and blades, rather than the whole unit. Costs about $30 at Lowe's or Home Depot (I think we had better luck at Home Depot). It is pretty easy to replace - it plugs into the existing housing. Be sure to measure the size of your fan cover before you go.

[bubbaray]

Just asked DH. He says "its easy" if its the same size. If you need a more powerful fan (b/c the current one isn't sucking enough moisture out), then it might be a bigger job. He also said that you need to check that it vents outside and not into the attic.

He said that a lot of the fans that builders put in are too wimpy and you may just need a more powerful fan.

HTH

[Jo..]

One of mine needs replacing too...it makes a super loud noise.

If you wind up doing your own, please post. I THINK I could do it myself.

[bubbaray]

OK, asked DH again. Specifically asked him if its like replacing a light fixture. He said if you want a bigger, more powerful fan, its a big job.

[katydid1971]

http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/videos/HowTo_Replace_Bath_Fan_0808.aspx

[bubbaray]

DH says don't use duct tape, use aluminum tape.

[niccig]

THe streaks are from water condensation. We get it in our bathroom - there is NO fan. We open the window and keep the door open afterwards. Every so often, I wipe it off - no need to repaint. We do need to get a fan installed.

[Naranjadia]

We had ours replaced, but we are not handy people in the least!

But I will say that when we had the energy people come evaluate our house that was one item they had on their list where they said we could have a definite impact on our energy consumption if we upgraded to a fan with a better air exchange rate. Ours was only operating at 40% the recommended rate.

[s7714]

We've replaced all our fans with upgrade kits just to get stronger fans with lower noise ratings. Only upgrading the fans to a new motor/fan unit took us maybe 20 minutes the first time we did it and less than 10 after that. When one of those fans stopped working all together in our master bathroom we took out the old one and installed a completely new larger/quieter model with a larger footprint. That was a decent amount of work because it involved climbing into the attic to connect ducts and wiring as well as cut a larger hole in the ceiling. But just putting in an upgrade kit to an existing unit was pretty easy.

[Tanya]

We replaced ours in our master bath which is on the 2nd floor and the fan is in the ceiling. Dh is good with electric, but he's not handy. It took him awhile and he did have to go up into the attic.

At first, he talked about cutting a hole in the bathroom ceiling and I looked at him like he was nuts. *I* sent him up into the attic. Once again, he's not handy.

I wanted to replace the fan in the kids' bath with one that also had a light on it (we just have a light over the sink in there), but he said it would be too complicated to try to hook the light in with the other light switch, etc. I took the fan/light combo back to the store.

[bubbaray]

I wanted to replace the fan in the kids' bath with one that also had a light on it (we just have a light over the sink in there), but he said it would be too complicated to try to hook the light in with the other light switch, etc. I took the fan/light combo back to the store.


That part isn't bad at all, if you watch the Lowes video it gives an easy to understand diagram. If he did one, he should be able to do the 2nd! :)