Although bathroom ventilation isn’t as much of a crisis as heating repair in NYC, it’s still an important home improvement project to tackle.

Why do you want to install a fan in your bathroom for proper ventilation?

It eliminates your steamy mirrors and windows after someone uses the shower.
It reduces stale odors that can linger in the air.
It prevents the buildup of moisture, which can lead to mold and mildew.

Why Do Modern Bathrooms Need More Ventilation?

Modern bathrooms have undergone a major design transformation in recent years. They are no longer strictly utilitarian box shapes. Designs are larger and more elaborate than in previous years, which means that the simply opening a window is not enough to ensure that the moisture in the room is escaping properly.

To guard against a buildup of moisture, a bathroom should outfitted with a ventilation fan and vented to the outside. The fan must be installed properly so that the moisture does not get trapped in the attic of the home. Without it, moisture will penetrate the walls of the bathroom and cause the paint to blister and peel over time.

How to Properly Vent Your Bathroom

If your bathroom is located below your attic, you can vent your bathroom yourself. For best results you will need to have someone work in the attic while you are in the bathroom. Here’s the basic process:

Start by making a hole in your bathroom ceiling for your new fan. Climb into the attic and remove insulation from around the spot.
Measure the vent fan housing. You will want to try to position the vent fan between two joists close to your reference hole.
Measure the inside dimensions of the vent fan’s intake port. This will determine the size of the hole you will need in the bathroom ceiling. Use a jigsaw to cut the hole alone the lines you traced in the ceiling.
From the attic, attach the duct elbow to the outlet port on the side of the vent fan housing. Secure the elbow with foil duct tape. Next, attach the cable connector and set the fan into place between the joists. Secure the brackets on the fan with drywall screws.
Feed the electrical cable through the connector. Tighten the connector screw to secure it in place.
From inside the attic, choose a spot on the sidewall for the duct to exit your house. The location should be between two studs and positioned within six feet of the vent fan. You will want to make sure you have a couple of reference points that you can find from the outside.
Mark the spot using your measurements and cut your hole.
Secure the wall cap on the outside.
Grab the end of the exhaust duct and stretch it to the outside wall. Attach it to the wall cap using the foil duct tape.

You will still need to push the wall cap tight against the house siding from the outside. Apply silicone seal to the gasket around the hole. Secure the cap to the siding with stainless steel screws.
You always have the option of calling in a professional to properly vent your bathroom – plus we can help with HVAC maintenance in the NYC area.