How to Vent a Bathroom Fan Two Different Ways
An exhaust fan is what allows the air in your bathroom to be vented to the outside. Removing this air is important because the humidity and moisture generated by showers, baths and water running in general build up inside your bathroom and could create serious problems, such as water damage and mold formation. When you run the exhaust fan, these problems are no longer an issue. If you have a large bathroom or one that is poorly ventilated, venting the fan two different ways to the outside can be helpful. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 3/8-inch-diameter spade bit
- Tracing paper
- Jigsaw
- 1½-inch drywall screws
- Ladder
- 4-inch hole saw
- Two-way flexible exhaust duct
- Foil duct tape
- Wall caps
- Caulk
- Foam rubber gaskets
- 1½-inch stainless steel screws
Instructions
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1
Create a hole in your ceiling around where you'd like to install the fan using a 3/8-inch-diameter spade bit.
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2
Go into your attic to check out the hole. Remove any insulation from the surrounding area, and use the hole to draw a square between two joists that is large enough to install the fan. Trace the square onto tracing paper.
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3
Use the tracing paper to redraw the square onto your bathroom ceiling. Cut it out with a jigsaw.
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4
Place the exhaust fan into the hole from the attic. Extend the brackets from the sides of the fan and install them to the joists using 1½-inch drywall screws.
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5
Climb a ladder from outside your home to cut out the duct hole with a 4-inch hole saw. Move to a new location of your home and cut an additional hole to vent the fan two different ways, preferably on another side of the house.
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6
Attach a two-way flexible exhaust duct to the elbow of the fan. Secure it with foil duct tape.
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7
Run each end of the two-way flexible exhaust duct to each hole you cut in the house to vent the fan two ways.
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Install a wall cap into each hole from the outside of the house. Apply a bead of caulk and a foam-rubber gasket around each hole to seal the cap. Use 1½-inch stainless steel screws to attach each cap permanently to the siding. Then, slide in the caps.
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9
Secure each end of the duct to each cap with foil duct tape to complete the process of venting the fan two ways.
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Tips & Warnings
If you already have an exhaust fan, remove the single ended flexible exhaust duct and replace it with a two-way duct. Create one more hole outside your house to vent the other half of the duct.
References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
