Bathroom vent fans help remove moisture from the room.
With age, a bathroom vent fan can get noisy or simply quit working. When that happens, you have a few options. You can live with a nonworking or noisy fan, replace the motor of the current fan, or replace the entire unit. If your fan has always been loud, now is your chance to replace it with a quieter, more efficient unit. This project can be completed in less than a day with supplies available at home improvement or hardware stores.
Instructions
1. Drape drop cloths over the fixtures and floor of the bathroom. This will save time when it comes to clean up.
2. Turn off the power. Even though many vent fans use a basic appliance plug, the insulation on the wires may be cracked or worn away. This can cause an electrical shock. Bring in a work light so you can see what you are doing.
3. Remove the grille of the vent. These grilles may be held on with screws or with pressure springs. Put on your safety glasses while doing this, as dirt or other debris may fall into your eyes.
4. Remove the fan assembly and unplug the fan. Remove the housing assembly if you are installing a different kind of fan than the original. If you are doing a direct swap, you can leave the housing in place.
5. Insert the new housing and screw it into place. Attach the new housing to the vent line. The vent line is held in place with either a screw-tightened clamp or with aluminum tape. Install the new fan assembly and plug it in. Turn on the electricity so you can test the fan. Once the fan tests out as working properly, reattach the grille.
Tags: vent fans, vent line