Repair your Bathroom Vents
The function of your bathroom vent fan is to remove moisture, odor and heat from the air in your bathroom. However, your vent fan can become worn out after long use and to make sure your bathroom is ventilated, the fan vent has to be repaired. Among the best way to repair a bathroom vent is to replace the motor and housing. Before purchasing the new equipment at your local hardware store, make sure to measure the size of your current unit. Find a unit that is close to your current size to minimize cutting to your ceiling. Here are the steps on how to repair your bathroom vents.
You will need:
- Screwdriver
- Reciprocating Saw
- New Bathroom Fan Vent
- Plastic Wire Nuts
Steps:
- First, it is best to turn off the circuit breaker to the bathroom vent fan. You don\’t want the electricity running while you are repairing it. This step will save you the risk of getting electrocuted. When the electric is off, pull the cover off the bathroom vent fan using your fingers. Some bathroom fan vent covers may be secured with retaining screws. You can use a screwdriver to remove the screw and then remove the cover.
- Lower the housing carefully while trying not to cause stress on the attached wires. Unscrew the plastic wire caps that connect the wires. Go to your attic and disconnect the duct that work from the bathroom fan vent housing.
- The duct work will either be taped on or secured with a clamp. Loosen up the clamp that secures the electrical cable through the housing with a screwdriver and then pull the cable out. Remove the securing screws that mount the old housing to the joists with a screwdriver. Remove the old housing from the attic.
- Go back into your bathroom and lift the new housing to the ceiling over the existing hole. Make a trace of the housing box on the ceiling if it is larger than the previous unit.
- Be alert where the ceiling joist is located when tracing so that the new fan will be attached to the joist. Cut the ceiling drywall following the trace of the new housing with a reciprocating saw. Take the new housing and mounting hardware to the attic.
- Follow the instructions that come with the unit when attaching the mounting brackets to the floor joists inside the attic. Secure it with a 1-inch drywall screws that usually come with the new unit. Re-tape or tighten the securing clamp to attach the fan duct. Insert the electrical cable through the housing and tighten up the holding clamp.
- Finally, go back into the bathroom and lift the motor assembly up to the housing. Connect the wires from the attic to the bathroom fan with plastic wire nuts. Then, go ahead to secure the motor assembly to the housing with the retaining screws. Attach the bathroom cover following the model\’s instructions.
Additional Reading:
http://www.ehow.com/how_5523489_fix-bathroom-fan-vent.html
Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doortoriver/2993192297/
