Soffit bathroom exhaust

[2011laramie]

In our new house, we got a hip roof so the sheet metal guys vented the bathroom to the soffit. The flappers have been freezing closed not allowing air out. What can i do to remedy this problem?

 

[cowboy73]

Is the ductwork insulated? If not, I would start there.

 

[2011laramie]

The duct work is installed, cause they open when its not super cold.

 

[Kaizen]

Are those correct for that orientation? Mine are like that but door is down. Never have frozen


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[The Cobbler]

nature of the beast? hot air, moisture, flow stops, freezes shut. I know mine freezes shut in cold weather but it will loosen after a bit when the warm air hits it.

 

[toolmiser]

You could try "coating" them with something like spray silicon or wax. Would only be a temporary fix. Iv'e never seen that type of vent used in that application.

 

[jeffmattero76]

Not an expert, but that looks like a wall termination, not a soffit termination.

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[CitadelBlue]

I m using the same product on my home in northern VA and havent had a problem. They just mildew easily. Warm moist air hits cold air. I do have the pipe in the attic insulated, but not sure that really does anything. If yours are freezing, take a look and see how much ice is on them when that happens. I would consider spraying with silicone as well.

 

[850xpeps]

I m using the same product on my home in northern VA and havent had a problem. They just mildew easily. Warm moist air hits cold air. I do have the pipe in the attic insulated, but not sure that really does anything. If yours are freezing, take a look and see how much ice is on them when that happens. I would consider spraying with silicone as well.

Insulating the pipe will make a difference. Same as insulating a plumbing vent. If you don’t the condensing starts to happen before the warm air escapes and it will freeze.

 

[RoadBeater]

I just installed the EZ-soffit vents and insulated pipe. Working well, and the bathrooms are staying warmer now.

 

[CraigStu]

That looks like the correct orientation to me. If they were mounted on the wall w/ the flapper down, the flapper would hang open all the time.

 

[TRWham]

We use these:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-Soffit-Exhaust-Vent-SEVHD/203626521

IRC has some restrictions on location of vent outlets near windows and doors. I have not researched it, but the AHJ for most of our projects interprets it as 36" horizontally from any window, operable or otherwise. They may be wrong, but it has not been a problem so we haven't fought it.

 

[PCustoms]

We use these:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-Soffit-Exhaust-Vent-SEVHD/203626521

IRC has some restrictions on location of vent outlets near windows and doors. I have not researched it, but the AHJ for most of our projects interprets it as 36" horizontally from any window, operable or otherwise. They may be wrong, but it has not been a problem so we haven't fought it.

I used these as well, I'm about 6' away from the exterior wall in the ceiling of the covered porch. Bathroom and stove are vented.

Bathroom will freeze up I shut the fan down too early. Let it run long enough to clear the bathroom moisture plus 5-10 minutes to blow the pipe out, and it won't freeze.

 

[Tejay]

I have installed those many times. They should be tight to the outside of the soffit to ensure the warm moist air is not being drawn back up into the attic.

 

[CombatNinja]

I have installed those many times. They should be tight to the outside of the soffit to ensure the warm moist air is not being drawn back up into the attic.

You can install that thing tighter than a gnat's *** and it won't matter if the roof is properly vented at the ridge. That moist bathroom air is going to get drawn right up into the soffit because that is how a vented roof works.

Those vents from the OP are not intended for soffits. They are wall terminations. You would be better off just having the ductwork lead up to the soffit and blow down up above the soffit. In other words, the terminations would be essentially invisible from outside the house. Not ideal but venting to a soffit is not really the right way to do it. Those plastic doors are just pointless and causing you issues.

 

[Dustball]

Those vents from the OP are not intended for soffits. They are wall terminations.

They're for soffits.

http://dundasjafine.com/product/soffit-dryer-vent-2/

The thing is that they're showing it installed on solid soffits.

 

[jgromada]

This is something that I am trying to do (add bathroom fans to an old house) so this thread is very relevant .

The big problem I have seen from a number of sources i have been researching is that venting to soffits is a problem if the soffit itself is vented to the inside of the roof. What it will do is try in the hot moist air into that area and cause mildew and mold to flourish. They almost always recommend venting through the roof shingles etc with a specialized fitting . I think there are videos on youtube from This Old House explaining this and showing how to do the install.

 

[RoadBeater]

This is something that I am trying to do (add bathroom fans to an old house) so this thread is very relevant .

The big problem I have seen from a number of sources i have been researching is that venting to soffits is a problem if the soffit itself is vented to the inside of the roof. What it will do is try in the hot moist air into that area and cause mildew and mold to flourish. They almost always recommend venting through the roof shingles etc with a specialized fitting . I think there are videos on youtube from This Old House explaining this and showing how to do the install.

Just went thru this at Christmas break, there's a thread in the Heating/cooling section. The Panasonic fans come highly rated (they are great!) Insulated flexible duct to the EZ Soffit vents. Bathrooms are now much warmer, and the fans are much more effective.

For reference, I replaced 19 year old Broan builder fan's that had been ran to the soffit area and dumped. No visible signs of mold or moisture issues. My teenage daughter likes to take long hot showers, and the fixtures were rusting due to the moisture not adequately being removed. No issues now.

Good luck!

 

[CombatNinja]

They're for soffits.

http://dundasjafine.com/product/soffit-dryer-vent-2/

The thing is that they're showing it installed on solid soffits.

Technically, you're right but not the kind of soffits the OP has. I consider a closed soffit to essentially be a wall. With vented soffits, there is no point in having these things.

 

[like2wheel]

I consider a closed soffit to essentially be a wall.

Really?

 

[850xpeps]

Technically, you're right but not the kind of soffits the OP has. I consider a closed soffit to essentially be a wall. With vented soffits, there is no point in having these things.

You need a vent . You can’t vent into and attic. That would be stupid to say the least and against code.

A wall is a wall. A soffit is a soffit open or closed....... do you consider a gable end with shakes on it to be a roof?

The fan should blow the majority of the air away and at least condensate out and down. Not up into the attic.

 

[CombatNinja]

In this case, yes. The bottom line is that the OP has problematic soffit vent door thingies that are freezing shut and causing him issues for no reason. He has these stupid little door mechanisms made for a wall or closed soffit installed in a soffit that has open venting. Pointless.

 

[CombatNinja]

You need a vent . You can’t vent into and attic. That would be stupid to say the least and against code.

Nobody is saying not to have a vent. You just install your ducting flush to the vented soffit and let the bathroom fan blow the hot, humid air out of the soffit. Depending on the time of day and the weather, this air will then be immediately drawn back up into the attic space due to the soffit and ridge vents doing their job. Kind of dumb but venting a bathroom fan to a vented soffit is stupid to start with and should not be done for this reason. You don't then go increasing your problems by installing doors that freeze shut. I am just trying to help the OP solve at least one issue. Ideally, he should vent those fans out the roof or gable or somewhere other than his vented soffits. I never suggested that he just let the bathroom fans vent into the attic.

 

[bad_idea]

Whatever you do, when you reassemble the vent outlet put a piece of screen between the ducting and the vent outlet. Last summer I had wasps build a nest in the vent piping about 6" in. I took a shower one morning (fan on), then shut the fan off and sat down to take care of some pressing business. While sitting on the toilet I see a bunch of insect legs sticking out of the fan grates. Fortunately the fan grates were too small for the little bastards to get through. That nest had around 30 wasps on it. I ripped the whole works out and replaced it as the fan was builder grade. A piece of screen across the duct on the outside of the house should prevent any repeats.

 

[nyy845]

Whatever you do, when you reassemble the vent outlet put a piece of screen between the ducting and the vent outlet. Last summer I had wasps build a nest in the vent piping about 6" in. I took a shower one morning (fan on), then shut the fan off and sat down to take care of some pressing business. While sitting on the toilet I see a bunch of insect legs sticking out of the fan grates. Fortunately the fan grates were too small for the little bastards to get through. That nest had around 30 wasps on it. I ripped the whole works out and replaced it as the fan was builder grade. A piece of screen across the duct on the outside of the house should prevent any repeats.

Damn, never thought of this. I'll be doing this in the spring, good advice

 

[850xpeps]

Nobody is saying not to have a vent. You just install your ducting flush to the vented soffit and let the bathroom fan blow the hot, humid air out of the soffit. Depending on the time of day and the weather, this air will then be immediately drawn back up into the attic space due to the soffit and ridge vents doing their job. Kind of dumb but venting a bathroom fan to a vented soffit is stupid to start with and should not be done for this reason. You don't then go increasing your problems by installing doors that freeze shut. I am just trying to help the OP solve at least one issue. Ideally, he should vent those fans out the roof or gable or somewhere other than his vented soffits. I never suggested that he just let the bathroom fans vent into the attic.

Installing a vent “flush” as you call it isn’t proper. Because I’m assuming flush means up against the back of the vented soffit. Which will freeze closed with water dripping through the holes. Not to mention bugs can get in.

I agree soffits aren’t the best place for bathroom or even range vents. But sometimes people have no choice. So giving them bad advice isn’t a good idea. You don’t know if they are freezing up for “no reason”. They might not be sufficiently insulated in the attic or who knows what. A door that freezes shut is better than no door at all. Go break it open until you can find a way to make it work properly. The air isn’t gonna necessarily get sucked back up if the roof venting is doing its job. Most buildings have more soffit than venting up top. The air isn’t pulling through like a massive vacuum . Had soffit vents on both my bathrooms at the last place because I had a tin roof and didn’t want more punctures. They worked perfectly fine and you could watch the exhaust leave the house.


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[LS6 Tommy]

I hate to say it, but if that pic is your house, they did it wrong. They used dryer vents and an exhaust fan cannot discharge within 3' of an operable or non operable opening.

"IRC 2012 M1506.2. Bath fans will be 3 feet from property lines and operable or nonoperable openings or 10' from mechanical air intakes."

As for the damper freezing shut, I have had good luck with Dundas-Jaffine SEVPX vents.

Lookieheer:

http://dundasjafine.com/product/soffit-exhaust-vent/

Tommy

 

[dfiler2]

These work really well and then you don't need to worry about the vent freezing open sometimes.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...edirectid=15510289167145698336210090301008005

 

[2011laramie]

The photos were just off google. But very similar to the house. I can reach a couple of them with a broom stick so ive got a few opened up. Tonight its getting close to -30C so ill address these when it warms up a bit

 

[kbs2244]

The first thing I would try id to run the fan for at least 30 min. after the shower.
That will get you dry air going though the ducts.

Put the fan on a timer switch.

 

[bad_idea]

Timer switch on my bathroom exhaust fan is one of the best things I have done. Clears the bathroom out good after a shower. No more mold issues in the bathroom. Easy install.

 

[jgromada]

i did my install a little while ago. I have my fan wired so it is always powered but turns on when the motion sensor kicks off. It will run 20 min afterwards. I bought both the fan and the vent kit from Panasonic. Nice stuff!

 

[CJ7VFR]

Is the ductwork insulated? If not, I would start there.

The duct work is installed, cause they open when its not super cold.

He asked if the ducting was insulated, and helping to keep the moist air from freezing in cold weather.

Could be an easy place to start. Do you have access to the ducting to see if it is the proper kind, and not just one of those cheap vinyl clothes drier versions?

Jim