Something you hardly ever think about… your bathroom exhaust fan. You know you need one, but what’s the difference between this brand and the next? What is CFM? What sone rating do I need? We’re here to walk you through it.
Step 1: CFM Rating
How large is your bathroom? By measuring your square footage you can tell what fan you will need. You will need a minimum of 1 CFM (cubic feet per minute) per square foot. So, if your square footage is 50 feet, you will need a minimum of a 50 CFM fan. If you have a large bathroom over 100 square feet, you can expect to add 50 CFM for each toilet, faucet, and shower, and add another 100 CFM for a whirlpool. Some fans have multiple CFM ratings so you can choose between 50, 80, and 110 CFM by simply adjusting a slider switch for speed.
Step 2: Aesthetic features
There are fans that look like decorative lights or can lights. Others are flush-mount fans that have a built-in light panel in the center of the fan. These are less common, but they can be a great addition to your bathroom.
Step 3: Smart options pay off!
There are plenty of options to upgrade your bath fan. Consider adding any of these features to make your fan work for you! Motion sensing activation, humidity sensing, auto-off timers, built-in heat lights, and night lights. The more advanced fans allow you to set the speed of the fan (more CFM) and how long the fan runs after someone leaves the room. Lots of air movement and a quiet motor will give you the best results. A well-ventilated bathroom will have less opportunity for mildew growth and a fresher smell that you will appreciate immediately.
Step 4: Sound Rating
Exhaust fans are rated by sones. The lower the number, the quieter it is. Any fan with a rating of 0-1.5 is incredibly quiet. Anything higher than 4.0 sones will be fairly loud. However, some people prefer their fan to make some noise for privacy purposes. We have bathroom exhaust fans hooked up and running at Handy Man Home Remodeling Center so that you can compare the sound levels and air movement.
Step 5: Brand
We carry two brands at Handy Man Home Remodeling Center – Panasonic and Air King. Panasonic fans usually have more features and operate with lower sones while Air King fans are a more economical option. Both are good, reliable choices to include in your remodel.
Now that you know the basics, you can read the technical specs and understand a little bit more about the differences between our fans. As always, you can ask one of our showroom experts for some assistance!
For more information, watch our youtube video about choosing an exhaust fan.
