# Installing a bathroom vent



## power (Dec 21, 2012)

Hey guys, im a window guy but have a question.. Thinking about getting a bathroom vent in 2 of my upstairs baths which currently have sheet rock ceilings. Would a plumber vent straight through the ceiling and through the roof?
I bought 2 vents at a local supplier for $70 bucks a piece. The bathrooms are rather small with a shower.


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

power said:


> Hey guys, im a window guy but have a question.. Thinking about getting a bathroom vent in 2 of my upstairs baths which currently have sheet rock ceilings. Would a plumber vent straight through the ceiling and through the roof?
> I bought 2 vents at a local supplier for $70 bucks a piece. The bathrooms are rather small with a shower.


Preferable to have an electrician install them. What's above the ceiling? Attic with room to move around? How close is the gable vs. the roof?


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

A bathroom exhaust fan or a plumbing vent?


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

That's an electrician's job not a plumber. I prefer through roof, straight shot as possible.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

As said above, vent fan installation isn't a plumber's job. Better to exhaust through a gable than the roof if at all practical--roof penetrations are just problems waiting to happen.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

I avoid a roof vent if possible. I'll even do a soffit vent if it's the soffit isn't vented into the attic. Rigid pipe is preferable and I wrap it if it's a cold attic to prevent condensation from dripping down into the bath during the winter.


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## SLSTech (Sep 13, 2008)

16 - 20' is generally the max you should run the line taking into account the bends making sure you are not ending up above a window or walkway - if you are then the roof is your better option. http://blog.sls-construction.com/2013/getting-details-right-bathroom-exhaust-venting


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

I've never had an issue with a roof vent and would prefer that over seeing the vent on the side. Roof vents are common, installed 2 on my own home. No issues for 15 years.


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

EthanB said:


> I avoid a roof vent if possible. I'll even do a soffit vent if it's the soffit isn't vented into the attic. Rigid pipe is preferable and I wrap it if it's a cold attic to prevent condensation from dripping down into the bath during the winter.


It is my understanding that venting moist, warm air through the soffit was a "no, no." You have no choice but to have the exit facing down and as heat rises, this moist, warm air would rise into the soffit or into the attic. In either case, it's not good.

I think venting through the roof I'd the best option. Done right, no issues.


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## totes (Oct 17, 2013)

jb4211 said:


> It is my understanding that venting moist, warm air through the soffit was a "no, no." You have no choice but to have the exit facing down and as heat rises, this moist, warm air would rise into the soffit or into the attic. In either case, it's not good.
> 
> I think venting through the roof I'd the best option. Done right, no issues.



I like the roof vent also. 
We have to use rigid pipe now, which I would use anyways. Quieter, more efficient. 

fftopic:I think the "common knowledge" about residential soffit vents being poor design is pure malarkey! I've been hearing this my whole career, yet I have never had my ball cap pulled off my head by a soffit vent. When it rains on a warm day, or the sun hits wet siding, far more moisture is drawn than from a bath vent in the soffit anyhow.


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

totes said:


> I like the roof vent also. We have to use rigid pipe now, which I would use anyways. Quieter, more efficient. fftopic:I think the "common knowledge" about residential soffit vents being poor design is pure malarkey! I've been hearing this my whole career, yet I have never had my ball cap pulled off my head by a soffit vent. When it rains on a warm day, or the sun hits wet siding, far more moisture is drawn than from a bath vent in the soffit anyhow.


I've fixed several. Just last year had to rebuild half a porch roof because they vented it in the soffit. 

4k because they didn't run it out if the house. 

The house was only 12 years old, and had been"repaired" once already, except they did fix what was causing the problem. 





We just run 4" ducting straight out the nearest wall, except on the front of the house.


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

totes said:


> I like the roof vent also.
> We have to use rigid pipe now, which I would use anyways. Quieter, more efficient.
> 
> fftopic:I think the "common knowledge" about residential soffit vents being poor design is pure malarkey!.


I base my understanding (as mentioned above) on the evidence reported/documented on the issue by those much smarter than me. The proverbial jury deliberated and returned with a verdict: don't use the soffit as a termination point for bathroom vents. I reviewed the information and it made sense to me.

Your theory about the moisture on siding being evaporated by the sun and then turning to vapor and making its way into the soffit sounds a little farfetched to me. I'm not an engineer by any stretch, but I've never heard that theory until now.


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## aptpupil (Jun 12, 2010)

Out the gable end if possible. After that your only choice is through the roof. If you don't want to cut into the roof then maybe you can tie into another bathroom vent that's already going through the roof (make sure to look up how to do that properly), or you can sub out the roof flashing portion to a roofer looking for some weekend work.



EthanB said:


> I'll even do a soffit vent if it's the soffit isn't vented into the attic.


Not allowed.


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## aptpupil (Jun 12, 2010)

http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/icod/irc/2012/icod_irc_2012_15_par001.htm


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## sunkist (Apr 27, 2012)

power said:


> Hey guys, im a window guy but have a question.. Thinking about getting a bathroom vent in 2 of my upstairs baths which currently have sheet rock ceilings. Would a plumber vent straight through the ceiling and through the roof?
> I bought 2 vents at a local supplier for $70 bucks a piece. The bathrooms are rather small with a shower.



The fans need to be sized for the sq footage of the rooms, we like panosonic they are nice and quiet.


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

sunkist said:


> The fans need to be sized for the sq footage of the rooms, we like panosonic they are nice and quiet.


I like those too


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

sunkist said:


> The fans need to be sized for the sq footage of the rooms, we like panosonic they are nice and quiet.


X2.

I'm also a Fantec cheerleader.

Everything else is cheap and loud.

I want to get back to whose job it is to install the fan and run the pipe from the fan through the roof!

This has been a running joke amongst myself and my subs for years.

If someone has a clear answer that doesn't involve three trades, I'd love to hear it.

(we have managed to whittle it down to 2)


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

tenon0774 said:


> If someone has a clear answer that doesn't involve three trades, I'd love to hear it.


The Competent Carpenter. :cheesygri

Specialization is for insects. -- _Isaac Asimov_


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## tenon0774 (Feb 7, 2013)

Tinstaafl said:


> The Competent Carpenter. :cheesygri
> 
> Specialization is for insects. -- Isaac Asimov


I should have known.

(...and that's just because nobody else will do it.)


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

I guess that code is a bit interpretive as I haven't been called on it before. Of course, I wouldn't mount a bath vent next to any kind of soffit venting. I've only had to use them a few times as I can usually get to a gable end. I've seen a lot more rot due to bad roof penetrations than soffit vents but I guess I'll have to avoid them in the future.

As far as installation goes. Electrician installs fan, I install duct.


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