Is this what you do after every shower?
Then you need a new exhaust fan.
And since we're renovating everything else in this bathroom, there's no better time for
us to replace the old one.
The latest fans are so cool.
Some have lights, some have heaters, and for the ultimate fight against mold, some have
automatic humidity sensors like this one.
It turns on when it senses too much moisture.
When you're picking out a new fan for your bathroom, there are a few things you need
to check out before you buy.
Pay attention to sones and CFMS.
Sones will tell you how loud a fan is —the higher the number the louder the fan.
2 is considered quiet.
And CFMs—which means cubic feet per minute—is a measure of airflow.
The larger the room, the larger the CFM number.
For a powder room, 50 to 60 CFM should be enough.
For a medium-size bath, 70 to 90, and for a large master bath go with 100-plus CFM.
Also, if you want to make life a little easier, make sure your new fan will fit where your
old one already is.
Remember, you can always pull out your old one and take it with you to the store.
So to do that, first cover the work area with a drop cloth.
Then turn the power off to the old fan, pop off the cover, and double check that the electric
is off.
Next, remove the motor, and take out the mounting screws.
Slide the housing to the side and disconnect the vent duct.
Then, pull down the housing, disconnect the wires, and remove it.
Once you have your new fan, be sure to read the directions.
Now, if your new one is not the exact size of your old fan, it's ok.
You can make some adjustments.If the new fan is smaller, you can patch the ceiling.
You can see how patch drywall at Lowes.com/HowTo.
If the fan is too big for the ceiling, hold it up to the hole, mark it, and cut with a
drywall knife.
With the hole squared away you can start hooking up the new fan.
Set the duct connector in the ceiling, hold the housing up and slide the connector into
the slots.
With the housing level and perpendicular with the joists, drive screws into the joists.
Now head up to the attic.
If you need to, you can lay a board across the joists so you can kneel down.
Attach the brackets to the joists.
Then connect the brackets to the body with a screw.
And then attach the ducts to the connector with HVAC tape.
On to the wiring.
First take off the junction box cover.
Then connect the house wires to the fan wires.
Replace the junction box cover, and turn on the power.
If it sounds loud like something's not right, turn off the power and make sure everything's
mounted securely in place.
When it's all good, add the mounting springs and push the cover into place.
Another project off the list.
For more videos from this bath remodel series, visit Lowes.com/HowTo.