We often ignore bathroom exhaust fans though it’s an essential thing for our bathroom. Is your bathroom exhaust fan blowing air down?
Keeping this fan in a decent condition and hygienic is crucial.
Though the situation isn’t alarming, there’s must be something wrong inside the fan if it’s blowing air down instead of sucking it. You want to address the issue quickly.
There’re ways to fix this problem. So, you’ve nothing to worry about. Read this article to learn about them.
Causes of Blowing Air Down Through Bathroom Fan
Followings are the top reasons behind wind blowing through bathroom fan:
- Displacement of Flapper
Sometimes, the draft flapper may not be in the accurate location where it should be. Its main job is controlling the airflow movement of the vent.
So, excessive air won’t enter inside the vent pipe.
Backdraft flappers are located in two spots. Manufacturers install them at the area where the vent pipe releases unwanted air outside.
Or, it can be seen in the bathroom fan where the vent attachment is located.
Some manufacturers prefer using them in both locations for better fan functionality.
However, the bathroom fan may blow air down when the flapper is jammed up in a locking position.
- Stuck Vent Pipe
Regularly cleaning the vent pipe is crucial. Dust, grime, and debris may be accumulated inside the vent pipe if not cleaned timely.
Thus, it’ll lead to a blockage issue. Air won’t move freely.
The situation gets worsened if you don’t remove debris. Too much moisture will lead to water accumulation inside the vent pipe. It’ll drip through the exhaust pipe.
- Reversed Fan Blades
Fan blades are one of the essential components of bathroom fans. The way fan blades turn plays a vital role in the higher functionality of the exhaust fan.
Generally, most fan blades only rotate in the rightward direction. This allows them to extract air from the nearby area and release it outside.
These blades can’t move leftward direction except for some AC motors. So, when they move in the reverse direction, the exhaust fan may flow air down.
- Lint Buildup In The Fan
When you don’t clean the bathroom fan regularly, lint may build up in the fan. This will reduce the airflow if excessive moisture is accumulated inside the fan.
- Faulty Vent
Generally, the air collected from the bathroom can smoothly get into the vent system due to the straightforward path.
But, this single vent system is connected with several pipelines. It may damage the vent for different reasons, such as:
- Not doing maintenance works regularly
- Alternation of temperature suddenly
- Poor pipe system
When the vent becomes faulty, air won’t pass through the pipe freely. If it’s happening for a long time, you may experience excessive sound from the exhaust fan.
- Incorrect Fan Direction
Bathroom exhaust fans are designed to pull air up and out. If the fan rotation is reversed, it will blow air down instead. This usually happens when the fan is wired incorrectly.
Most bathroom fans have an arrow on them showing the correct direction of airflow.
- No Ductwork Installed
In some cases, bathroom fans are installed without being connected to ductwork. This leaves the fan blowing air straight down into the bathroom.
Ductwork provides a route for moist air to exit your home so it doesn’t cause humidity and condensation issues.
- Undersized Ductwork
Using ductwork that is too small is another issue that can make your fan blow air down. Narrow ductwork creates back pressure that resists proper airflow. It’s important to use the recommended duct size for your fan’s CFM rating.
How To Fix If Exhaust Fan Blowing Air Down?
Your first job is figuring out why the exhaust fan is blowing air down. Once you learn the reason, it’s easy to fix.
Here’re some possible ways to handle this problem.
- Clean The Fan Routinely
It’s a good rule of thumb to clean the bathroom fan at least twice a year, especially if the outside area is dusty. Check the string of the fan whether it’s working properly.
You can use a mixture of a dishwasher and warm water to clean different parts of the exhaust fan, such as its blades, grate, vent pipe, etc. Use a fresh rag to remove grimes from the fan blades.
It’s better to remove some parts of the fan for easier cleaning. Then, assemble them again the complete the cleaning task. Switch on the fan to check whether it’s working properly.
- Inspect The Grate Condition
Each bathroom fan is covered by a grate, which is situated in an unchanged location. However, some latest brand offers removable grates these days.
You can remove its tension clip to check out whether it’s rotating in the clockwise direction or not. If not, some problems may arise for the venting system.
- Check The Fan Blades
Some people may mistakenly install the fan blade after cleaning it. It’s supposed to turn in the right direction, extract air from the washroom, and release it outside.
However, the fan may blow air instead of drawing it when you install it incorrectly.
Additionally, bathroom fans often become loose. After a particular time, they won’t work smoothly.
Thus, it’s necessary to check them out regularly and fix or replace them when not working correctly.
- Replace Damaged Pipes
Vent pipes are connected through ducks. They become loose gradually. Regularly checking their connection is necessary. They may have bent or holes issues.
However, fixing this ductwork connection is a troublesome task if the pipe is too lengthy or it doesn’t have a straightforward turn.
You may need to change your old duck system. Or replace the entire duck connection. This takes time and requires a large amount of money.
Why Exhaust Fans Must Runs Properly?
Our bathroom holds a lot of air. It leads to excessive moisture. The primary job of an exhaust fan is to remove unpleasant smells and humidity from your washroom.
Ensuring a free airflow movement is necessary inside your bathroom while bathing for a long time or taking a warm bath.
Exhaust fans mainly play a crucial role in providing sufficient ventilation inside the restroom. This is particularly helpful when your bathroom doesn’t have a big window.
When moistures stay inside your washroom for an extended time, it’ll create an unhygienic environment. This may lead to the growth of bacteria, mildew, and mold.
If it continues for an extended period, it’ll cause foul smells. So, you’ll experience an unwanted situation without an exhaust fan in your bathroom.
However, setting up the fan doesn’t mean your duty is completed. Regularly doing maintenance tasks is essential to keep it in a sound condition.
This will ensure better airflow. So, your room will be free from excessive moisture and unwanted lousy odor.
Otherwise, you may end up facing the most common problem, which is “wind blowing through bathroom fan.”
How Does An Exhaust Fan Work?
Exhaust fans are a common item used in our kitchens and bathrooms. Its main job is to draw out the warm and humid air and let the fresh air enter inside from outside.
Most of the time, they’re installed on the bathroom ceiling. Its vent pipe does the main job of sucking warm air. Then, it’ll release it outside.
However, if they’re blowing hot air inside your bathroom, there’s must be something wrong. After all, it’s doing the opposite task.
This will increase the room temperature further. Also, more moisture will be collected through the warm air.
Quickly addressing the issue is necessary. Otherwise, it’ll worsen the situation.
Why My Exhaust Fan Stops Working?
Sometimes, exhaust fans may not move or spin smoothly. Or, they may blow air downward. Lack of maintenance may lead to this problem.
If the bathroom fan isn’t spinning correctly, you can add a small amount of lubricating oil to the gear shafts. This will solve the problem.
But if the bathroom fan is blowing air down, the flaps may have become faulty. Or the hatch isn’t in the correct location.
Furthermore, sometimes, exhaust fans may become clogged up. They either work too slowly or don’t extract any warm air at all.
In some cases, bathroom fans may release hot air inside the bathroom in a downward direction. So, various scenarios may appear.
What Direction Should a Bathroom Exhaust Fan Spin?
For a bathroom exhaust fan to work properly, it needs to spin in the direction that pulls air up and out of the bathroom through the ductwork. This is usually a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed looking up at the fan.
Here are some ways to make sure your bathroom fan spins the right way:
- Check for an arrow on the fan housing showing flow direction.
- Look for blade angle – they should be angled to push air upwards on the side that leads into the ductwork.
- Test by holding a tissue up to the fan while running. Proper airflow will pull it upwards.
- When wiring the fan, connect the black (hot) wire to the motor lead that causes counterclockwise operation according to manufacturer specifications.
Spinning the wrong way, the fan will simply blow air back down into your bathroom. This recirculates humidity and prevents proper ventilation. If you recently installed the fan and wiring yourself, double check the wiring connections. Most homeowners make simple wiring mistakes that reverse the fan direction.
You can usually reverse a fan’s rotation by swapping the black and white (neutral) wires leading into the motor housing. But consult the manufacturer’s guidelines first. Improper wiring can damage the motor or create an electrical hazard.
Getting your bathroom exhaust fan spinning properly is important to carry away lingering moisture and odors. Just take time to verify the spin direction so air flows up and outward as intended.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
An exhaust bathroom fan should be operated at a slow and steady speed without making any excessive noise.
You can select Broan’s exhaust fans for this purpose. However, your home mustn’t have any scope for cross ventilation. Otherwise, it won’t be effective.
A bathtub or shower base is an ideal spot to set up an exhaust fan. However, a minimum space should be maintained from the shower area to maximize comfort.
You can install bathroom fans in walls or window areas. However, it’ll cover a considerable amount of space.
If there’s no problem with the space coverage, you can install it on the wall. After all, it’ll provide the same functionality.
The lifespan of a bathroom exhaust fan can be up to 10 years on average. But if you take care of it properly and clean it regularly, it can last a little longer, at around 15 years.
If a bathroom fan blows air back into the room, it usually indicates the fan rotation is running in reverse of its proper direction. Other common causes include blocked roof vents, crushed ductwork, or fans not connected to ducts at all.
Wrapping Up
Like our living or bedroom, we want to ensure a healthy and hygienic environment inside our bathroom.
Ensure you take care of the exhaust fan properly and regularly inspect whether it’s working smoothly.
When there are dirt, grime, or blockage issues in the vent pipe, it may lead to the bathroom exhaust fan blowing air down.
Your washroom will be full of hot air and moisture because of this.
