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HVAC Piped Roof Exhaust Vents. Various Applications.

Laundry areas, bathrooms and kitchens are all areas in a home that produce water vapor and need proper exhaust ventilation. Our piped exhaust vents are designed for use with bathroom and kitchen systems and come in 9 different options to suit any need. Our pipes are devised in such a way to not allow any rain in, hence the hooded vent. Ordering the appropriate size of the exhaust duct is critical. Be sure to follow the instructions provided by the manufacture of the vent and stick to it; opting for a smaller or larger duct is not recommended for optimal performance.

When venting a bathroom or kitchen, it is not advisable to run the exhaust anywhere other than straight out the roof (no crawl spaces, or an open attic). Take the shortest route possible to the roof, using rigid ductwork. A flexible duct will trap grease, increasing the potential chance of starting a fire. Avoid 90 degree angles in ducting as much as possible. Any pipe going through uninsulated spaces (through an attic) should be insulated to eliminate condensation build up on the outside of the pipe. It is never a good idea to share ductwork to an outside vent with any other application; not even with two nearby restrooms. They both must have their separate exhaust vents to the roof.

BATHROOM

Musty odors, peeling wallpaper or paint, mold, or windows that sweat are all perfect examples of a poorly ventilated bathroom. Bathroom vents are necessary for the ventilation and removal of odors and to maintain a balanced humidity level inside the home.

Smaller bathrooms often have a more difficult time staying problem-free than larger ones. Fans should be installed at the highest point of the ceiling (important to keep in mind for vaulted ceilings). Allowing the fan to run for an additional 15 minutes after showering is a good idea to keep the bathroom nice and dry.

Choosing a fan with a high enough CFM (cubic feet per minute) rating for the size of the bathroom is key. It is possible for a fan’s rating to be 110 CFM, but can pull in lower than 50 CFM’s due to poor installation, too many elbows, ductwork too small of diameter, or flex duct instead of smooth-walled duct. Either fix all the problems, or put in a stronger (200 CFM) fan to do the trick.

TOILET PAPER TEST

Testing an exhaust fan’s strength is very purposeful. Just because it makes a noise, doesn’t mean it’s doing its job effectively. Take a single square piece of toilet paper and hold it up. If the fan sucks it up tight to the ceiling grille then it’s working accurately. If not, then the ventilation is inadequate.

KITCHEN

Kitchens need great ducting to remove smoke, grease and aerosol particles. Having the right exhaust fan comparable to the size of the kitchen is crucial. CFM (cubic-feet-per-minute) is simply calculated by taking the kitchen’s square footage times two. Many fans have multiple speeds, so as long as one of the settings allows for the required CFM, that should be fine. It is suggested to use metal-foil tape at each bend or joint in duct work, you wouldn’t want any grease escaping, posing a hazardous fire danger in the home.

For any application, FAMCO is sure to cover the specific sizing needs for any venting project.