Increasing Bathroom Ventilation - http://www.hvacmechanic.com/ Forums
Original message
| Mike in AK
 |  "Increasing Bathroom Ventilation"
, posted Fri 7 Mar 14:12  
We have a 21 year old home with a built in HVAC system from Engineering Development. Unfortunately they are no longer in business so I can't get their help.
While the built-in system has worked extremely well over the years for the main portion of our home, the bathroom exhaust system into the HVAC doesn't properly vent the moisture from the bathrooms. The current system is tied into a 6" line that pulls into the HVAC but there really isn't adequate CFM to remove moisture after showers. We get mold spots on the painted surfaces and the metal ceiling tracks have rusted and are being removed.
I am remodeling the bathrooms and would like to increase the exhaust system in the bathrooms. I am considering adding a new 6" inline Fantech fan to the bathroom exhaust line but I'm concerned that it might overwhelm the system if I start pumping 140 cfm of air into the system.
The other option I'm considering is install an new 6" exhaust line and vent it directly outdoors without tying into the central HVAC system. If I go this way I am thinking of installing a T into the 8" exhaust vent in the outside wall so the new line will share the vent with the central system.
I would appreciate any feedback.
Thanks
Mike in AK
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Replies:
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| northernfitter
| "Re(1):Increasing Bathroom Ventilation" , posted Fri 7 Mar 20:26
Does this house have an HRV(heat recovery ventilator). Some homes are designed to use the household ductwork with the HRV to cycle out stale air from the house while taking some of the heat from it and transferring it with fresh air from the outdoors. This is very common in R2000 homes. If this is what you have you should not be switching it directly out. Adding an inline fan would be a better idea then seperating it from the system most of the systems I have seen here that use that design have inline fans designed into the system. I would speak to someone trained in air balancing what ever that requires in your state about your situation to make sure that its done right. There is a lot more to it than you might think.
14years as a service tech in Ottawa and the valley. www.reliableheating.ca. For furnace manufacturer ratings go to
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/appliances/heating-cooling-and-air/gas-furnaces/furnaces-repair-history-205/overview/index.htm?resultPageIndex=1&resultIndex=1&searchTerm=furnace
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| Freon
| "Re(1):Increasing Bathroom Ventilation" , posted Fri 7 Mar 14:48
Usually you always have a bathroom fan that's not tied into any HVAC because the odors may not be what you want cirulating throughout the house.
Simple bathroom vent fans usually use 4" pipe and terminate near a soffit vent in unconditioned space, like the attic. You may want a vent fan for both the shower area and toilet depending on the layout.
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