Exhaust Fan Installation

Our basement bathroom did not have an exhaust fan.  Since the ceiling was drywall and the basement completely finished, this made installation more of a challenge.  The primary decisions I had to make were where in the bathroom ceiling to install the fan and where to exhaust it outside.  Part of the ceiling in the bathroom had a soffit drop above the toilet area and was close to the outside wall.  After some investigation I decided to install the fan in the soffit drop as it would give me more room to work.

Exterior Vent

Exterior Vent

The year before I had installed the exterior vent when we were adding pavers in the backyard.  I needed to raise the siding up where the pavers went so I drilled the hole and installed the block then while the siding was off.  That way I could seal everything correctly.  I installed the vent cover and taped the flap down until I was ready to install the fan.

After researching Panasonic fans, I ordered the WhisperFit FV-08VF2.  I wanted it as quiet as possible and yet big enough to exhaust properly.  After some calculation, the 80 cfm and sone rating (noise) was sufficient for the  room size and noise level I wanted.

Soffit Space

Soffit Area in the Ceiling

My first step to locate the fan was to use a stud finder and determine where the support members were in the soffit in the area where I wanted to install.  I have an access hole in an adjacent wall where my sprinkler shutoff is and I was able to stick a digital camera up in the area and shoot towards the area where I wanted to install the fan.  After several attempts, I was able to get a good photo that gave  me an idea of how the area above the soffit was constructed.  The stud finder confirmed the framing.

 

Hole Cut in Soffit

Hole Cut in Soffit

After verification, I marked the area to cut for the opening in the drywall, and cut the hole slightly larger than needed so I could get the fan in.  The exhaust port and electrical wiring box on the side of the fan required me to angle the fan up and in to the hole, thus the over sized hole (that will be covered by the vent grill.

For the power, you need to decide if you want it on a separate switch or connected to a light fixture to come on when the light is on.   I wanted it on when the light was on.  There was a recessed light that was about 3 feet away.  I removed the light cover and then the 3 screws that held the can and pushed the can up into the ceiling.  This exposed the electrical connection box of the light where I could run my wires from the light to the new fan.  Be sure to run the same gauge of wire as the light is wired with.

Power from Recessed Fixture

Power from Recessed Fixture

Mine was 12/2.  Wiring was easy, black to black, white to white, and copper grounds together using three wire nuts.  When all connections were made, I pushed the wires back into the box and replaced the wiring cover.  I attached the recessed can back to the retaining ring, attached the cover on to the fixture and screwed in the bulb.

For venting, hard piping is always best, but I knew that I could not configure hard pipe in the concealed area.  I was able to add a 38” extension of hard pipe on my vent to get it into the area above the dropped soffit.  I put it together, taped all the joints, and attached a piece of 4” flexible aluminum duct to the end of the pipe.

Inserting Vent Piping

Inserting Vent Piping

I inserted the vent piping through the hole on the outside and sealed and screwed the vent down.  Do not use the flexible vinyl duct.

I attached the new 12/2 wires from the connection box on the recessed fixture to the wires in the connection box on the exhaust fan.  After connecting the flexible duct to the fan, I taped and clamped the flexible duct to the fan.  The tape I used for all the joints is UL listed duct tape.  It is an aluminum faced tape designed for this purpose.  Do not use “duck tape” that some associate as the same thing.  It is not.  You can screw the joints together with short self-tapping sheet metal screws plus the tape if you want.

Vent & Electrical Connection

Vent & Electrical Connection

Once all the connections are made, I tested the fan to be sure the wiring was ok before I inserted it in the hole.  I pushed the fan up into the hole and screwed it in with 4 wood screws.  Note; screws on one side hit framing already there in the soffit.  On the other side, I added a piece of 3/4” wood that I screwed to existing framing.  This allowed a solid mount for the  fan.   I could not use the hangers that came with the fan.  If the area had been in an attic, I could have used the hangers.

Insert the  spring retainers on the cover in the slots in the fan housing and push the cover to the ceiling.  Turn the fan on and check the outside vent for air movement.  Be sure the flap on the metal vent hood on the outside opens when the air is on and closes when the air is off. The installation is complete.

Next project will be replacing the exhaust fans in the main and master bath.  These will be somewhat easier as I can work from the attic space.

Installation Complete

Installation Complete

 

 

Flexible Duct in the Soffit

Flexible Duct in the Soffit