An HVAC expert clears the tune about the in style viral cleaning trend and shares her top vent maintenance tips .
RICHARD LEO JOHNSON
When it come tobathroom cleaningand alimony , you ’re probably hit all the regular spots , like the bathroom , shower , and counter . But have you paid attending to your bathroom fan lately ? If not , there ’s a simple prank that can tell you if it ’s working properly .
Credit:RICHARD LEO JOHNSON
presently at 4.3 million Instagram views ( and near to another million on TikTok),this creator ’s Reeldemonstrates how placing a piece of paper against the vent will let you know if your lav fan is running correctly . But if it fails , should it be clean or supercede ? An HVAC expert clears the air and share her top vent maintenance point with us .
Find out how — and how often — to perform the test , why it ’s essential , and what happens if you have a vent-hole that flunks it . Does it need to be replace , or will a deep cleaning suffice ? acquire how to keep your vents in their best shape so your bathroom stick around light for longer .
Why Test Your Bathroom Fans?
If your bathroom fan is n’t properly deplume aviation from inside and pushing it outside , that can make a concourse of problems for your health and your home . stamp and mildew can growdue to the excess moisture hanging around , as opposed to being expelled out of the room . Not only is mold exposure harmful to humans and pets , and it can damage lav surface such as the walls and countertop .
Indoor air pollution can come from intersection that lurk , such as cleaning chemicals or production applied via an aerosol can spray . Without a right working vent , musty or otherunpleasant smellscan also be hard to get disembarrass of , thanks to the moribund tune that will become punishing to rule out .
Beyond wellness concern , a fan that is n’t working correctly can suffer your billfold , too . An issue you might not have consider is the wasted get-up-and-go that a poorly working lover can cost . It runs on electricity , so if it ’s not function correctly , it will employ more of it than is necessary .
Which Bathroom Vents Need to Be Tested?
While most commenters did n’t argufy whether they conceive the hack worked , there was argument over the Almighty ’s interchangeable use of the words ‘ outlet ’ and ‘ fan’—and what actually needs to be test . The answer is , fortunately , moderately straightforward .
The vent is the actual channel or pipe providing a pathway from inside the bathroom to outside the house . The rooter ( more specifically , an exhaust or respiration fan ) is the mechanism that draws air from the bathroom and squeeze it out . So , as it turns out , both components are necessary to work , and it ’s utterly okay to habituate the terms interchangeably . You might have just one in your bathroom , or you could have both a traditional takings air vent as well as a lover made specifically for the bathroom ; the exam sour on both mechanism .
What Is the Bathroom Fan Paper Test?
If you have n’t tested your lover in a while ( or ever ) , utilise the viral paper run to do so . Depending on your height and the peak of your lavatory ceilings , carefully use a ladder or take a shit so that your hand can well reach the sports fan . Usinga handheld void , quickly vacuum over the outside of the release .
Then , hold up a single sheet of composition to the fan and remove your hand . If you see that the paper automatically stick to vent grate without your help , that means that the fan is powerful enough to take up air and moisture out . If the paper immediately falls or does n’t stay stuck to the vent for more than a few seconds , that ’s a star sign that the fan is either weak or not work at all . The creator indicates in her comment section that she performs the test on each sports fan about once per calendar month .
In between testing , there are other warning signs that can suggest your sports fan are n’t working properly . Traci Fournier , vice president of operations atOne Hour Heating & Air Conditioning , suggest paying attention to any variety in the environs of your bathroom . “ If you notice the fan is much louder than before and if it does n’t adequately remove moisture or odour , it could be time to replace it , " she says . Fournier explains that most exhaust system fan are designed to last five to ten years and become less effective as they age .
How to Clean Your Bathroom Fan If It Isn’t Working Properly
So , if your bathroom fan is washy or non - functional , does that mean it mechanically needs to be replaced disregarding of its historic period ? Not needfully , according to Fournier . “ If your bath lover is too leak out , you should check to make certain there is n’t a larger issue at mitt , ” she says . She explain that some condensation on the outside of the vent is n’t out of the ordinary . Still , if it seems more than common , or you point out an abundance of moisture in the bathroom in cosmopolitan , you may check out a few matter before blindly supercede the fan .
“ First , appear at your muffler flap , as its purpose is to channel airflow , ” she says . “ weewee dripping from your sports fan likely indicates that your damper flap needs to be replaced . The volcano cover on your roof could also be the issue , as it could have suffered from weather condition - related terms leading to H2O passing through it and dripping through your lavatory fan . ”
If nothing else is awry and your fan is relatively new , it probably needs a good cleansing . Fournier share her pourboire for effectivelycleaning your bathroom fan .
Step 1: Disconnect Power
Always start bydisconnecting the powerfrom the lover via the break box seat .
Step 2: Remove the Grate
Remove the vent-hole grating . “ Most modern exhaust rooter are held in shoes with tensity clips that take only light-headed pressure to get rid of , but onetime fans might require you to unfasten a few roll in the hay , " Fournier suppose . “ If your fan has an committed luminance , unplug the wire before fully take the grating . ”
Step 3: Wash with Soap and Water
Wash the grate with mild dish soap and body of water . If it ’s exceptionally filthy , soak it in soapy water system for a few minutes and allow it to dry fully . Fournier warn to pass over this whole step if you have a devotee - sparkle combining .
Step 4: Remove Dust and Debris
Fournier adds recommends using ahand vac , vacuum hose attachment , or a material to slay dustand debris straight from the fan . “ hoover any dust off fan grates with attached lights before wipe grime off the grate and fan mechanism with a slightly moist textile , " she say .
Step 5: Replace the Fan
Lastly , once it ’s dry , you could replace the grate , reconnect any wire , and turn the fan ’s power back on .
While you’re able to do the paper test monthly if you ’d wish , Fournier clarifies that you only postulate todeep clean bathroomfans about once each year . She advises race a duster along the outside of the venthole every few weeks to keep dirt , dust , and dust at bay . And if cleaning or replacing parts , such as the flapper , does n’t come out to fix the fan ? “ Sometimes , replacing your bathroom discharge lover is the only alternative , " Fournier says .
