We want to add an exhaust fan to our bathroom, but rather than fish wires through walls, is it OK to wire the fan to the existing light fitting (separate recessed fitting for the shower, so there's already a ground wire)?
Any Code issues here?
Perce
I don't exactly know what you are saying, but yes you can wire an exhaust fan to the circuit feeding the light, although if the fan is above the tub-shower, it will have to be U.L. listed for that purpose and protected by a gfci
I meant that I want to avoid having to fish wires for a separate switch for the fan -- just have the fan run whenever the light for the shower cubicle is on.
The existing (enclosed) light fitting is not on a GFCI-protected circuit
-- it's an older house -- but the fan will be outside the shower cubicle.
I'm planning to upgrade the electrical system later on and will split some circuits, putting all the bathroom ones on a GFCI.
Perce
I remember being in motels that had a fan in the bathroom, wired to the light so the switch turned both on. That was annoying.
A lot of people think the steam from their showers is different from any other steam. If the fan didn't go on with the light in hotel bathrooms, the wallpaper would be falling off in chunks and the maids would spend half their time removing mildew.
Here in Jersey you have to have the fan activiated with the light if there is no window.
I have taken night light on trips fpor in bathroom, hate waking up confused not knowing where things are but dont want bathroom fan running all nite...
I've now hooked it up, and it's so quiet that you'd hardly know it's on. It's a GE that's claimed to be super-quiet, and indeed it is -- nothing at all like some of the motel bathroom fans I've encountered (which probably had clapped-out bearings and were ready for the dumpster).
Perce
:I remember being in motels that had a fan in the bathroom, wired to :the light so the switch turned both on. That was annoying.
That was my thinking. But the OP suggested (I think) that the light is for the shower cubicle, not just the bathroom as a whole. In that case, it may make sense. Also, he seems to be saying the bathroom is eventually going to be rewired, so he can do things differently then.
:I've now hooked it up, and it's so quiet that you'd hardly know it's on. :It's a GE that's claimed to be super-quiet, and indeed it is -- nothing :at all like some of the motel bathroom fans I've encountered (which :probably had clapped-out bearings and were ready for the dumpster). : :Perce
Are these things necessarily recessed in the ceiling? What's the effectiveness? Don't they have to exhaust to outside to effectively decrease the humidity in the bathroom?
:On 08/07/06 04:48 pm Mark Lloyd wrote: : :> I remember being in motels that had a fan in the bathroom, wired to :> the light so the switch turned both on. That was annoying. : :>>> We want to add an exhaust fan to our bathroom, but rather than fish wires :>>> through walls, is it OK to wire the fan to the existing light fitting :>>> (separate recessed fitting for the shower, so there's already a ground :>>> wire)? :>>>
:>>> Any Code issues here?
Recessed in ceiling or wall. And yes, they have to be vented to the outside. Pumping humidity into the attic will cause any number of nasty problems.
That is being taken care of right now as the roof insulation is being upgraded. Neither of the two existing bathroom fans was vented to the outside either, but all are being fixed.
Perce
Yes, it was the noise that was no bad.
I agree that the noise is the issue. In my mother's apartment, I put a pull chain switch in both of the fans so she could turn off the fan when she was putting on makeup or whatever. This is the one change I didn't undo when we returned the apartment to the people who run it.
In my house, when I put a light above the mirror (it only had a light in the ceiling), I interrupted the wire to the fan and put a push-button swtich in the new light housing, to control the fan. Anotehr one to control the wall light. I don't take steamy showers** but I do want to run the fan sometimes to get rid of fumes from cleaners etc.
**But yes, my steam is better than anyone else's steam. My dirt is better than anyone else's dirt too. That's just the way it is.HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.