22
votes
Accepted
Is it Ok to mount a bathroom extractor fan at floor level?
First off, you misunderstand the intention of the extractor fan. It is not to remove hot air. It is to remove moisture from the air, and that's done to help protect against mold and mildew buildup. ...
- 25.6k
22
votes
Accepted
Using old vent pipe as TV antenna
There is a LOT that goes into making an antenna work properly. That's why the old-school TV antenna has so many little rods sticking out the sides - they have to be certain fractions of the wavelength ...
- 29.1k
21
votes
Accepted
Cleaning a long dryer vent that is completely behind drywall
Perhaps a leafblower (or two?) might clean it out a bit?
Also maybe get advice on how to make the outside vent area fire resistant if the tube does catch fire.
- 1,298
19
votes
Vent kitchen hood vent to roof turbine vent?
TL;DR:
It is explicitly not to code to exhaust into the attic or to use foil pipe
It's a bad idea anyway because it puts smoke, grease and warm humid air into your attic which can cause mold growth
...
- 28.3k
16
votes
Accepted
Trying to replace bathroom vent, but housing is stapled to the rafter
You've already pretty well mangled the housing and you're planning on replacing the whole thing anyway, so just go to town hacking at it. A pry bar, a hammer, a pair of tin snips, and some sturdy ...
- 29.1k
13
votes
How do I stop water from getting into floor vent?
A splash guard at the corner of the tub may be enough:
(image from Google)
They're inexpensive, and easy to install.
- 1,098
12
votes
Trying to replace bathroom vent, but housing is stapled to the rafter
A small prybar, cold chisel, or a screwdiver you don't like much (this is screwdriver abuse) can be driven under the staple to get it moving. There appears to already be space there. Even a large nail ...
- 132k
11
votes
Accepted
Dryer venting problem
Add both a secondary lint trap and a dryer duct booster fan. Fantech and Tjernlund are a couple brands to help you start your search.
Also, replacing any easily accessible flexible duct with rigid ...
- 4,641
10
votes
Vent kitchen hood vent to roof turbine vent?
I don't know where you live, but something to consider is that you're dumping warm, moist air into a potentially cold zone. So some of that air can/will condense in there in winter. Since attics tend ...
- 19.7k
10
votes
Accepted
How do I stop water from getting into floor vent?
I would first try to prevent that much water from getting out of the tub / shower.
As a back up possibly a 1/8” bead of silicone around the perimeter of the register. Even tile floors can rot out the ...
- 95.4k
9
votes
Accepted
Venting Range Hood into Attic Space, Temporarily
The biggest issue you have venting into the attic is warm, moist air being blown into a somewhat closed area (aside from the grease and particles you have a filter for). If the attic space you vent ...
- 26.6k
9
votes
Dryer vent: proximity to electrical wires
In my personal opinion, this type of duct is NEVER a good idea for a dryer vent.
Lint sticks to the inside much more than smooth metal.
It's virtually impossible to clean effectively, without ...
- 132k
9
votes
What are the pros and cons of removing exterior dentil molding?
You're right that they're merely decorative. They're often a separate molding that lays over another board or molding. They can be removed or covered without issue.
I do think it's a loss of nice ...
- 104k
8
votes
Accepted
Dryer vent passing through two wooden beams. Is it safe?
Yes, that's considered safe. The operating temperature of a dryer vent is not a problem for direct wood contact. Keep the vent clear and you'll have no fire.
Ensure all joints are foil taped, so ...
- 10.3k
8
votes
Accepted
Drywall surrounding vent no longer supports screws;
My default fix would be just to put in some type of anchor. Given the damage and the fact this is on a ceiling, I'd be inclined to use a screw-in type anchor, because they hold on to a larger area and ...
- 28.3k
8
votes
Accepted
Bathroom Vent Fan Upgrade
You can install a reducer, but you'll cut your flow volume by an equal proportion:
28.3in2 - 7.1in2 = 21.2in2 (an area reduction of 75% when going from 6" to 3" duct)
This will negate a significant ...
- 104k
8
votes
Accepted
Need Help Identifying Strap Securing Dryer Vent Hose
I've typically just seen that called metal strapping or steel strapping.
Home depot sells a similar thing in their ventilation accessories section, and they call it 'perforated metal hanger straps': ...
- 6,239
7
votes
Accepted
How to enlarge a 4 in. vent hole on exterior wall
Buy a 5" holesaw (and a drill sturdy enough to drive it). Cut a 5" hole in a big chunk of plywood. Screw/nail/clamp the plywood in the place where you want the hole. Drill away.
If you're having a ...
- 15.6k
7
votes
Accepted
Is it OK to have an air conditioning vent above a kitchen cabinet?
Sorry I don't have enough points to comment yet so have to put this reply in the answer.
I had a vent coming out under the cabinets in the kitchen of my house for 20 years with NO PROBLEM (i.e. at ...
- 472
7
votes
Is it OK to have an air conditioning vent above a kitchen cabinet?
Nonsense... there's no way the output from the AC will damage a modern cabinet. The carcass of the cabinet is undoubtedly plywood or MDF which is plenty dimensionally stable. If you're still worried,...
- 838
7
votes
Dryer venting problem
Your duct experiment and past experience indicates that the existing venting is limiting the performance of the dryer. You can't vent into the garage (see below) and being in Florida I assume you are ...
- 1,504
7
votes
Dryer vent coming up out of the ground
If the vent is obstructed or becomes obstructed due to lack of protection, that is a problem that could cause a fire, so it is not OK. In my area it is not common, but if you look hard enough you can ...
- 2,203
6
votes
Do thermostat-controlled, auto-adjust HVAC vents exist?
Yes.
I was building a new home in Baytown Texas (completed in 2006) and searched far and wide for thermostat controlled dampers - was told by many HVAC companies that "they" remove them weekly - ...
- 61
6
votes
Fast trick to figure out to where bathroom fan vents out
If you have access to the attic; and presumably the top of the bathroom fan, you may be able to follow the duct.
If you don't have access to the top side of the fan, you could remove the cover and ...
- 128k
6
votes
Accepted
Timer needed on bathroom vent fan?
IRC - 2006
Requires bath fans only if no operable window.
Bathroom ventilation can operate intermittently at a minimum of 50 cfm or continuously at a minimum of 20 cfm, the same as 62
Bath fans must ...
- 46.2k
6
votes
Accepted
Bathroom fan with no outside vent
IMO, and IME, bathroom fans should always be vented outside. Bathrooms are one of the biggest (if not the biggest) producer or water vapor in your home. When water vapor is trapped is can cause things ...
- 1,958
6
votes
Accepted
Bathroom vent through existing roof vent
We've got several things going on here:
This is a ridge-mounted, Slant-Back Roof Vent -- it's used to ventilate Attic air to the outside. It should not be used for double-duty for a Bath Fan exhaust. ...
- 76
6
votes
Accepted
Bathroom exhaust vent into crawlspace
No, at least not under the international residential code (IRC):
M1501.1 Outdoor Discharge
The air removed by every mechanical exhaust system shall be discharged to
the outdoors in accordance with ...
- 833
6
votes
How can I duct through a new cabinet from a floor vent opening at the wall?
Why do you need a duct? Most bathroom vanities, for example, are wide open from a slot in the floor to the louver on the kick panel. Just close off the compartment by any convenient means and call it ...
- 104k
6
votes
Accepted
How to child-proof a floor vent?
It sounds as if the vent is completely open - hope that isn't the case. It could be dangerous.
Assuming you have some type of vent cover on it I would cut and attach a piece of wire or even cloth mesh ...
- 7,589
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible