Bathroom Fan Functions
A bathroom fan has two purposes. The fan helps transport unpleasant smells out of the bathroom without having to open a window. The fan also draws the moist air out of the room after bathing. If moist air stays in the bathroom, it can lead to peeling paint, water damage on the walls or ceiling and mold growth. Since the vent sits in the ceiling, it draws the moist air into the attic.
Venting Options
You must vent the air that is drawn out of the bathroom by way of the fan so that it does not just stay in the attic; otherwise, mold growth and water damage will occur up there instead of in the bathroom. Either a flexible or rigid vent tubing will keep the moist air from damaging the attic. The tubing must connect to a vent opening on the exterior of the house, which can be located in the house's roof, soffit or gable. With the moist air venting to the exterior of the house, there should no longer be a mold threat to the house.
Dangers of Soffit Venting
Venting your bathroom fan through the soffit may still lead to mold and water damage in the attic. The moist air that exits the exhaust opening in the soffit may return to the attic through the nearby ventilation openings in the soffit, which are designed to draw in fresh air, according to home improvement expert Tim Carter. During cold months, the moist air may freeze inside the attic, leading to additional damage.
Roof and Gable Venting
Instead of venting the bathroom fan exhaust air through the house's soffit, install an exhaust opening in the house's roof or gable. If you decide to install the exhaust in the gable, you need to place it as far away from any gable vents as possible; otherwise, you may run into the same problem as the soffit with the moist air flowing back into the attic. Venting through the roof offers no chance of the moist air being reintroduced into the attic.
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