How do you size a bathroom vent fan? -Sam
Bathroom exhaust vent fans are important, since they remove excess humidity from your bathroom to prevent mold and mildew. To determine the proper size vent fan you need for your bathroom:
- Calculate the number of cubic feet in the bathroom by multiplying the room’s height x width x length in feet.
- Divide the number of cubic feet in your bathroom by the number of minutes in an hour (60).
- Multiply that number by the recommended number of air exchanges per hour (8).
- The result is the minimum cubic feet per minute (CFM) rating for your vent fan, which will be listed on the fan.
Or use our online bathroom vent fan calculator.
Watch the video above to find out more.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Sam Asks: How do you size a bathroom vent fan?
Danny Lipford: Your bathroom is a big source of moisture in your home, so it’s important to have the right size exhaust fan to remove all of that moisture. Now it’s very easy to determine exactly what size fan you need by grabbing your tape measure. Measure the length times the width times the height of your bathroom. Divide that number by 60, which is the number of minutes in an hour. Then multiply that number by eight, which is the suggested number of air exchanges that you should have in your bathroom each and every hour.
Now that number that you end up with will be your minimum CFM number or cubic feet per minute. Head on down to the home center, check out the exhaust fans, and find that number. Then buy an exhaust fan just a little bit bigger than that, and you’ll have the right fan for the job.
Further Information
- How to Size a Bathroom Vent Fan (article)
- Replacing a Bathroom Exhaust Fan (video)
- How to Replace a Bathroom Exhaust Vent Fan (video)
- How to Maintain a Bathroom Vent Fan (video)
