Bathroom exhaust fan AND laundry vent question

[Richard]

Here is a basic outline of the shower that will go into the corner. I've been having FITS trying to get someone to call me back about (them) installing the base/walls and perhaps tiling it.

Seems no one wants to either do work, or more likely, this is just too small job for them.

That said, I'll listen to any advise/wisdom here on if I should nail down those treated lumber parts as the outline of the base. I've NOT done that fearing if it's made out of concrete as I prefer, then they will not be needed, hence, in the way.

 

[Inspector507]

Richard,
My recommendation is to put it in the shower, protected by a GFCI circuit. Just buy one that is a fan/light combination. It works great for showering.

 

[DocHeb]

If you put it directly over the shower, it will pull all the hot, moist air quite nicely, but it will be replaced by cold air running over the shower door like a waterfall down to your feet. You will feel the cold air and you will not like running the fan while you're in the shower.

Personal experience talking, unfortunately.

Edit:
I think I may be in trouble - I'm disagreeing with Inspector 507! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[dooleysm]

I'm glad to see you are replacing that plastic vent from your dryer with metal ductwork. I believe that might even be a code issue. My opinion is that you are asking for a fire with that plastic duct. Additionally, the smooth interior wall of the metal duct will be much less likely to collect lint and cause a clog.

We put all our vents above the shower. That's where the moisture is, so that's where you want them.

If you're worried about being cold in the shower, they make a fan/light/heat unit. You could run the heater while you're in the shower, then turn the fan on when you get out, to avoid the cold feet problem. Honestly though, I've never encountered that problem in our showers.

Best of luck

 

[erich]

I wanted no moisture left after a shower so, being an engineer, I put in a 300 cfm fan in our bathroom. It is great. There's only one problem, it's kinda hard to read with my shirttail flappin in my face /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I also hate those tiny little toilets so I put one in with an elongated bowl. The kids call it Dad's comfort fit toilet.

Eric

 

[Inspector507]

Naw Chris,
You're not in trouble here with me /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I have mine over the tub/shower area and have never felt anything cold coming in. But mine is a (maybe) 100 CFM unit.

 

[moeh1]

Some fans, including mine are not rated to be placed directly over the shower, I think it was a corrosion related concern? Mine is in the closest corner not directly over the shower and does a good job.

 

[shovelhead]

Richard,
This reminds me of when I built my home 7 years ago. I sent my wife to Home Depot to buy "fart fans" for the bathrooms. With this in mind, she came back with (3) $150 @ 300 CFM exhaust fans. I got so mad I couldn't see! I returned the fans and bought mostly the standard $20 units, some of them with lights. One of the units I bought had a humidity sensor, and I thought it would be perfect for above the shower. The idea was that it should come on when excess humidity is detected and cycle off. It is adjustable, but I have given up on it, and operate it by the wall switch. Since I live in SE Texas and the humidity is always high, it will cycle on and off all the time. My utility bills are too high to justify leaving it on. These fans exhaust into my attic. The ceiling above my shower is 10', so adjusting the humidity sensor or changing the light bulb is a PITA. Anyway, the little inexpensive bathroom exhaust fans do a good job. My buddies still laugh about my wife's ideas about exhaust fans.
Good luck to you on your project.

 

[dooleysm]

shovelhead,

Be careful venting you humid bathroom air into your attic. My parents' house was set up just like this and it led to big problems. The humid air would condense on the rafters and run down and collect in a certain spot. This spot eventually rotted out from being wet year round. It was an expensive repair.

 

[shovelhead]

I know that your are right, but after looking at two new spec homes, my neighbors home and another; they were all set up like that. I looked at my parents home, built in 1962 and it is vented to the attic. I guess that here on the upper Texas Gulf coast, the humidity is so high, it doesn't create a problem? Nevertheless, I have checked my attic several times looking for mold, mildew or other signs of damage, but none so far?