Exhaust fans are a mandate in every building, irrespective of whether it is commercial or residential. Gharpedia takes you through a detailed low down on this oft-overlooked essential gadget.
From a time when exhaust fans used to be noisy and cumbersome modern-day exhaust fans are relatively silent and undoubtedly more sleek and stylish besides being huge energy and money savers.
Basically, exhaust fans are required for ventilating enclosed places, say – kitchens, bathrooms, store rooms (attics), garages et al. They throw out the unhealthy moist air and stall the circulation of airborne pollutants within the room. With new-age structures compromising on natural ventilation, exhaust fans are also the perfect ventilating solution for other sections of a house, say the living room, the study room, the puja room or even the bedroom.
Here’s a detailed look into exhaust fans.
Need for Exhaust Fans
A good question to ask here is that with air conditioners, coolers and ceiling fans why does one need exhaust fans? Well, not only do they cool down indoor spaces and expel the hot and stuffy air; but they can also stall excess moisture content (especially in bathrooms and damp attics) from building up.
Benefits of Exhaust Fans
Some of the advantages of exhaust fans comprise:
- They are extremely easy to install and accompanied with a manual to simplify the task.
- They can give a much-needed break to your air-conditioner (and also your whopping electricity bill!) as they cool the space. Perhaps that’s why green warriors are opting for installing window exhaust fans even in their drawing room and bedrooms as they – circulate air, reduce temperatures, and save on both energy and costs; besides prolonging the lifespan of your air-conditioning unit.
- Research claims that exhaust fans can replace the hot and stuffy air in a medium-sized room within a short span of two hours – and the best part is its mobility, once a room cools down, simply detach the exhaust fan from there and place it in another room!
- When it comes to bathrooms, exhaust fans are a must-have as they facilitate prevention of growth of moulds and mildews.
- Some exhaust fans are accompanied by heaters that can help one stay warm on chilly mornings.
Types of Exhaust Fans
From the broader perspective, there are three types of exhaust fans – window fans, bathroom exhaust fans, and attic fans. Each has been designed for a specific purpose and can be installed on the wall, ceiling or window.
Wall-mounted exhaust fans can be integrated into a section of the external wall or the window and directly throw out stale air. While, ceiling exhaust fans are installed within the false ceiling and require to be connected to a duct in order to throw out the indoor air.
In terms of material, exhaust fans are available either in plastic or in metal with a premium quality finish.
Pointers for Purchasing Exhaust Fans
- For houses located in coastal zones, metal exhaust fans are a strict no-no as they are rust-prone.
- Opt for an exhaust fan that does not generate too much noise (ranges between 0.5 and 1.2 sones).
- Zero-in on a fan which offers at least a one to two year warranty.
Tips for Installing an Exhaust Fans
Installing an exhaust fan is not rocket science, albeit it would be advisable to have the same done by an expert to ascertain effectiveness.
Here’s sharing some cues for a successful exhaust fan installation:
- Primarily select the most appropriate product which best suits your needs; go for the best-quality product fitted out with all advanced features. Double-check the guarantee or warranty label and ascertain a minimum 6-month warranty clause.
- When the technician comes to install the fan, ensure that the holes are made of the exact size and shape of the fan – if the hole is too large then fixing the fan’s blower will be a challenge; and if vice versa, then the blower will not fit in at all! The best way out of this quandary is to measure the size of the fan prior to making the vent in the wall.
- Ascertain that the exhaust fan is located in the correct position as this will impact the functionality and efficacy of the fan. A tip to remember here would be to fit the fan on the wall which falls directly opposite to the door, thereby facilitating forceful expelling of the stagnant air.
Role of an Exhaust Fan in a Bathroom
With its stupendous humidity and moisture content, exhaust fans are an absolute mandate for bathrooms. Excessive humidity may not only for the bathroom mirror, but at a later stage, it may also damage the wood and other building material of the bathroom.
Exhaust fans not only throw out the moist and humid air thereby improving the quality of the internal air; but also exterminate any odour; and stall growth of bio-pollutants like mildew and mould which generally thrive in a moist environment.
While selecting an exhaust fan for the bathroom the size is of paramount importance; an ideal airflow (amount of air exchanged per minute) is 1 CFM (cubic feet per minute) for each square foot of the bathroom. For example, a 50CFM exhaust fan is perfect for a bathroom admeasuring less than 50 square feet.
Opt to install the exhaust fan adjacent to the shower/bathtub zone of the bathroom.
Role of an Exhaust Fan in a Kitchen
In kitchens, the exhaust fan not only expels heat, steam and odours but also other fumes which are a general outcome of cooking. It replaces the humid air with fresh air thereby alleviating the risk of various allergies, asthma or serious respiratory infections.
Here too the size of the kitchen needs to be kept in mind while purchasing an exhaust fan – 1 CFM for each square foot of the kitchen.
It needs to be placed proximal to the ceiling as hot air tends to ascend and congregate near the ceiling.
Pointers for Cleaning an Exhaust Fan
In order to ascertain the efficiency and noiselessness of your exhaust fan clean it periodically. Here are some cues for the same:
- For exhaust fans accompanied with a mesh, remove the mesh and clean it with a solution (one-third ammonia and two-third water); scrub it gently and then dry wipe it.
- To clean the oil stains, dirt and grease parked on the blades of the exhaust fan use a solution of – ammonia, baking soda and hot water.
- In case you need to do an intensive cleaning exercise of your exhaust fan then unscrew it, detach the blade assembly, scrub and clean all the blades separately, wipe everything properly and reassemble it.
In the end, adequate ventilation is critical when it comes to kitchens and bathrooms in order to maintain a healthy home. With modern houses painfully lacking in natural ventilation, exhaust fans are a Godsend not only for these two zones but also for attics, garages and as additional ventilation sources for your drawing room or bedroom too.
You had it all for the above title in this article and now if you want to dive deep & read more articles related to ventilation, then you may refer following links:
Toilet – Bathroom Exhaust Fan: Why It Is Important?
Tips to Ensure the Good Ventilation in Home!
Image Courtesy: Image 9, Image 10
Author Bio
Huta Raval – An English Literature and Journalism Topper, Huta Raval has graduated from the L D Arts College, Ahmedabad. Post serving for 23 years in the NBFC and Public Library Sectors her desire for ‘writing the unwritten’ brought her to the creative field of content writing. Her clientele comprises of NGOs, Blogging Platforms, Newspapers, Academic Institutions, et al.