Bath Fans

How to Select a Bathroom Fan

Selecting the proper bathroom fan for your application is important to maximize the lifespan of the fan and parts.

Manufacturers:

Deciding which manufacturer to purchase from is important. Often times, manufacturers use different quality parts based on the given price point. Economy grade fans may use less durable parts and may have a slightly shorter lifespan. Whereas, higher end models typically are quieter, last longer, and have more power.

CFM Rating:

The CFM rating refers to Cubic Feet per Minute. This is the volume of air that is moved by the fan during a 60 second period.  The CFM rating is important in case you are installing the fan in an area requiring quick ventilation, such as a bathroom or kitchen. Bathroom fans that have a higher CFM rating will be able to remove smoke and steam much faster than less powerful fans. For small areas such as single bathrooms, a 50-100 CFM fan will suffice, however, for kitchen applications, for large bathrooms, or steam rooms, higher power models are recommended.

Fan Types:

At Westside Wholesale, we sell many types of fans based on your preference. Combination bathroom fans include features such as night light, heaters, and humidity sensors depending on your needs.

Loudness:

Bathroom fans come in several ratings of noise level from Standard to Super Quiet. The output noise level is rated in Sones, to give a accurate measure of what to expect from your fan. Super Quiet bath fans can reach a Sone level as little as <0.3 Sones. At this level, the fan is virtually silent and produces less than 1/3^rd the noise of a running refrigerator. The Sone level has a direct impact on the price point of the fan, meaning that less expensive fans typically generate more noise.

Installation Application:

If your application is a retrofit, than it is important to make sure the dimensions of the fan you select match the dimensions of the fan to be replaced to reduce rough in time and effort. It is also important to know if the fan is hardwired or if it has a standard outlet plug.

Duct Size:

Most bath fans use a 4” duct to output the air from the fan. If you are replacing a bathroom fan, you will want to check the exiting duct size that is being used by your ventilation system to reduce further modifications. If your exiting duct size is limiting the amount of air flow through your system, you may consider using a larger diameter duct to reduce air pressure in your system.