How or Who to use for bathroom extractor fan?

absolutelyfunky, Jul 22, 12:02am
Our recently purchased house has a bathroom and toilet separate but side by side, they both have 220mm extractor fans but there just vented Into the roof.

There a lot of condensation on the windows and the roof generally seems a bit musty so I want to get it properly vented outside, I've had a look at bunnings etc at there roof vents but they all seem pretty cheap and crap looking, I know people generally put the external vent on the under hanging side of the soffit but where the fans come out in the ceiling it's about 4m to the nearest one but it seems like it's either the roof which is a colour steel type or just straight out the side of the house which is weatherboard covered with a coated iron type cladding. With this in mind I'm debating wether to just get someone in to do It properly as I don't really fancy my chances with a cheapo $99 vent through the roof which may or may not be exactly be waterproof!

If I was to get someone to do this who would actually be the person to call? A builder, plumber or sparky etc? It's already wired and working just needs the vents and hosing put in.

chito, Jul 22, 12:05am
I never use my bathroom fan since getting a shower dome. If you can, then fit a dome. As long as you dry yourself in the shower, there is very little steam when you open the door.

tweake, Jul 22, 1:20am
the fans should not vent into the ceiling unless the ceiling is huge and has a lot of air flow. soffit is tricky because your meant to have clearance to the roof. that often gives very little room to put pipes through.
i would go through the roof. right at the top makes it easier to seal.
not sure if you need roofer or plumber.

if possible fit a one way valve to it. wall outlets have the flaps to stop air blowing in. often roof ones have nothing tho you can get valves for them.

kam04, Jul 22, 3:02am
It doesn't matter how much room there is in the ceiling, all extractor fans MUST be vented outside.

kam04, Jul 22, 3:06am
OP - you might find buying an adaptor (if required) and enough ducting and venting it out through the soffit may be a cheaper option (which you can do yourself) than getting it vented through the roof and paying a plumber.

ang_ck, Jul 22, 10:53am
agree with chito completely.

lythande1, Jul 22, 7:01pm
A builder of course.
Plumbers deal with pipes and water fittings.
Electricians deal with wiring.
Cutting holes in things is a builder.

hmck, Jul 22, 7:22pm
Yep - shower dome is best $300 I ever spent on my house.

susievb, Nov 12, 11:06pm
Do you have a shower box or shower over a bath?

If a shower box then a shower dome or similar stops the steam, if shower over bath then you can check out extraction fans above the shower to suck out the steam at the source - not all fan can handle being above a shower.

As for eaves or roof? depends on space to move, can someone physically wiggle there to do it?