The Purpose of Exhaust Fans in Residential Settings
Most homeowners have exhaust fans installed in key areas of their home, such as their bathrooms and kitchen. The goal of these fans is to reduce moisture, humidity, and odors from rooms and areas prone to suffering from these problems. Without exhaust fans, your home is more vulnerable to mold and mildew growth, and you may suffer from reduced indoor air quality. Meanwhile, excess moisture can damage paint and other finishes in your home, causing them to bubble or peel.
There are a few types of exhaust fans, including:
- Wall-mounted
- Ceiling-mounted
- Inline fans
Exhaust fans are vented to the exterior of your house through ductwork. A wall-mounted exhaust fan will vent to the side of your home, while a ceiling-mounted fan usually vents up through your roof. Inline fans are typically installed in your attic and have a ductwork system connected to multiple locations or vents. These are used when a room requires more than one fan or the homeowner wants to be able to vent several areas at once.
Bathrooms
One of the most important areas to have exhaust fans in is your bathrooms. Bathrooms are probably the rooms in your home that see the most moisture problems. Even bathrooms with windows are prone to mold and mildew issues as windows often don’t provide enough ventilation to deal with the steam and moisture from showers. An appropriate-sized exhaust fan can help you control the humidity and moisture, and can even help remove and dry built-up water vapor after a shower.
Kitchens
After your bathrooms, your kitchen is another area that requires an exhaust fan. Like in the bathroom, your kitchen exhaust fan can help control the moisture and humidity that can build up in the kitchen from cooking, doing dishes, etc. It can also help improve the air quality of your kitchen and remove odors. This is especially valuable if you have a gas range or other fuel-burning appliance that impacts your air quality.
Many people have exhaust fans built into their range hood. However, if you do not have a traditional hood or yours doesn’t have a working fan, you should consider installing one.
Other Areas
In addition to helping control humidity and moisture, exhaust fans can also help improve ventilation. This is particularly important in areas where you may be working with chemicals or other substances that are toxic when inhaled. If you have a workshop or a place where you need extra ventilation, an exhaust fan can help.
Other areas you may wish to install an exhaust fan include:
- Garages
- Workshops
- Attics
- Basements
You may also wish to install exhaust fans in areas of your home that suffer from poor indoor air quality. Depending on your home’s floorplan and configuration, you may have a room or area that rarely receives fresh air, such as a basement or interior spaces that do not have windows. Speak with one of our technicians to find out if an exhaust fan could help improve the air quality in these areas.
What About Whole-Home Exhaust Fans?
Most people have heard of whole-house fans and associate them with keeping their homes cooler in the summer. It is true that a whole-house fan can help support your cooling system and can help you save on cooling costs. But did you know that it can also help you combat odors and poor indoor air quality?
Whole-home exhaust fans work by pulling fresh air from outside into your home and pushing the old, stale air out of your home, usually through a vent on the roof. This improves the overall airflow in your home and helps remove trapped, stale air.
However, make sure that you open your home’s doors and windows when running the exhaust fan to ensure proper, safe operation of your exhaust fan. Failure to do so may cause a backdraft with gas-burning appliances, resulting in a deadly carbon monoxide buildup in your home.
Additionally, to make sure you aren’t working against your home’s cooling system, it is recommended that you only run the whole-house fan in the early mornings, evenings, or at night when the air outside is cooler than the air inside. You may even find that this helps you save money on your summer cooling costs!
To learn more about how exhaust fans can improve the air quality and comfort in your home, reach out to the experts at Premier Indoor Comfort Systems, LLC by sending us a message online.