1) When a Simple Bathroom Extractor Fan Replacement Isn't So Simple
Sometimes you turn up to replace a bathroom extractor fan expecting a straightforward job.
Remove the old fan, fit the new one, test everything and away you go.
Unfortunately, they don't always work out like that.
We were asked to visit this property because the existing bathroom fan had failed. The customer simply wanted it replacing, so we arrived with a Nuaire Faith-Plus ready to install.
Once the old extractor fan came off the wall, however, we discovered the problem you can see in the photo.
Back to top2) What was hiding behind the old bathroom fan?
The original hole through the bathroom tiles didn't properly line up with the hole through the outside wall.
To put it politely, it wasn't the neatest bit of ventilation work we'd ever come across.
The previous budget extractor fan had managed to fit because the connection at the back of the fan was relatively shallow.
The Nuaire Faith-Plus we intended to install was a different matter.
The rear of the new fan needed more room, and with the existing holes so badly misaligned, it simply wasn't going to fit correctly.
At that point we had a decision to make.
We could try to make the new extract fan fit what was already there, or stop the job and get the underlying problem sorted properly.
We chose the second option.
Back to top3) Why the ducting matters just as much as the fan
This is something that's easily overlooked when replacing a bathroom extractor.
A good quality extractor fan is only part of the ventilation system.
The route the air takes out of the bathroom matters too.
The purpose of your bathroom fan is to take warm, moisture-laden air from showering and bathing and discharge it outside the property.
If the fan isn't properly connected through the wall, some of that damp air could potentially end up where you don't want it, rather than being properly discharged outside.
Fitting a more powerful bathroom fan doesn't solve poor ducting or a badly formed opening behind it.
You could have a perfectly good extractor fan working exactly as designed while the installation around it lets the whole system down.
That's why we weren't comfortable simply fitting the new fan and hoping for the best.
Back to top4) Sometimes walking away is the right thing to do
In this case, we stopped the extractor fan replacement and explained what we'd found to the customer.
As the property was connected with a housing association, the customer was going to contact them about having the opening through the wall put right before a new fan was installed.
It's frustrating because everyone would prefer a simple replacement to stay simple.
But that's not always how electrical and ventilation work goes.
Once an existing extractor fan is removed, we sometimes find damaged ducting, poorly positioned holes, unsuitable vents or previous installation work that needs correcting before we can confidently fit the replacement.
The important thing is not to cover the problem back up just because nobody will see it once the new fan is fitted.
Hopefully this customer can get the wall opening sorted and finally get a proper bathroom ventilation solution installed.
The moral of this particular job?
Not every extractor fan replacement is just an extractor fan replacement.
Sometimes what you find behind the old fan is more important than the fan itself.
If you're having problems with a failed bathroom fan, condensation, mould or poor bathroom ventilation, we can inspect the existing installation and advise on the best way forward rather than simply replacing one fan with another. Get in touch today!
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