Everyday tasks like showering, bathing and shaving can put home-destructive humidity into the air in your Oxford home. There’s good news however—a simple bathroom ventilation fan can keep you from warped wood, mold growth, damaged drywall and other issues related with a humid bathroom.
Even if you have ventilation fans in your bathrooms, do you know if they’re the proper size? Are they as noiseless and energy efficient as they could be? Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc is here to answer your questions.
Today’s bathroom ventilation fans are small and smooth and they operate more quietly and efficiently than ever before. You’ll find a hefty range of selections, from classic fans that will get the job done to fans with integrated heat lamps, motion sensors and heat-exchanger ventilation that helps avoid warmed air from escaping through your ventilation. While there are a lot of bells and whistles to pick from, the most critical feature of your fan is whether or not it’s large enough to do its job.
Graded by the cubic feet per minute (CFM) of air they transfer, a bathroom ventilation fan should be able to replace the air in a bathroom at least eight times an hour. With a typical 8-foot ceiling, your ventilation fan should have a CFM rating almost as high as the number of square feet in your bathroom. So, if your bathroom is 5 feet by 8 feet, a CFM rating of 40 would be satisfactory.
If you have a taller ceiling, the equation gets a little more complicated. You’ll want to multiply the width of the room by its height and length, divide it by 60 and multiply by 8. Or, to keep it easy, you can use HGTV’s tips for bathrooms larger than 100 square feet – determine your CFM requirements by toting 50 CFM for every toilet; 50 CFM for each shower, bath and combo; and 100 CFM for each whirlpool.
If you’re unsure if your bathroom ventilation fan is the right size, or you know it’s time for a new one, give the pros at Franklin's Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc at call at 662-281-1231. We’re here to help you ensure you have a ventilation fan that will work hard to protect your home and keep it cozy.