Understanding Bathroom Ventilation Technology | Ask This Old House

In this video, This Old House home technology expert Ross Trethewey teaches host Kevin O’Connor what he needs to know about the latest in bathroom ventilation technology.

Home technology expert Ross Trethewey and host Kevin O'Connor discuss bathroom ventilation and indoor air quality. The two discuss the different types of exhaust fans and how to automate their ventilation. With a handy prop wall at hand, Ross shows Kevin how automatic switches and outlet sensors can activate exhaust fans remotely for convenience and better breathing air.

Where to find it?
Ross shares how to improve indoor air quality using smart bath ventilation products. Ross explains that modern buildings are now being built to be airtight and because of this proper ventilation is Important to improve indoor air quality. Smart control switches and bath fans are a cost-effective solution to poor circulation in a bathroom.

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From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. ASK This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.

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Understanding Bathroom Ventilation Technology | Ask This Old House

[xoxooxox]

The inline fan demo was very helpful! Thank you for including links!

[PS-rrjt]

Most of my homeowners, not being first time buyers, opted for fans that weren’t really quiet and ran the entire time the light was on. We also insulated the bathroom partition walls to deaden sounds. Nobody wants to be heard using the bathroom.

[jeffreysmith]

I'd love to see a video on Balanced Whole Home Ventilation Systems. They bring in fresh air and exhaust dirty air at equal parts. Many will also keep the fresh air temperature and humidity very similar to the air being exhausted.

[rgr]

Love it. Not sure on present code here in Florida, BUT at least in 2006 all that was required in a bathroom was a window that “could” be opened for ventilation. These items are what I was looking, (hoping) for, especially the fan that can be placed in the attic with just the grill in the bathroom. The intelligent switches are a plus. Thank you

[pgnehm]

Actually the smart Humidity/Motion switch shown in the episode is this one here:
Swidget Temperature, Humidity & Motion + Wi-Fi Control Insert - Works with Swidget Outlets and Switches to measure temperature, relative humidity & detect motion (occupancy/vacancy). $135 for the combo (insert & switch).

[dzsink]

Great video again. The fan you have on the table Panasonic, does have motion and humidity sensor built into it and super quiet. We have them in our two bathrooms.

[silentlou]

The nice feature of having a very old home equipped with a forced-air geothermal furnace… no need to add fresh air intake (plenty of natural fresh air leaks) and bathroom humidity is drawn into furnace ducting to either add needed heat/humidity thru house in winter or condensed at the furnace.

[c]

That receptacle indoor air quality sensor is pretty cool. I'd bet it costs quite a bit to get it all set up, but for some people/households it would work great.

Lots of neat innovations out there.

[Guardducks]

Pretty cool . Now when your best homie who's always wrecking your bathroom asks hey bro can I use your bathroom, you can safely say yes.

[virgil]

I have a central exhaust system in a house I moved into 4 years ago. While when I first moved I didn't like it, because I was used to a fan per bathroom that all operated separately. This one is turned on anywhere, it sucks from all the areas. But now after using it with a central fan, its one exhaust out the side of the house, not 4 separate ones out my roof, so less holes in my roof. Only problme is its low voltage using the furnace as an intake, so I can only use the old school wind timers that tick, but they do the job

[cmputer]

These bathroom sensors should also have a taco night sensor or Indian food sensor. Talk about bathroom air quality!

[gwmkiwi]

My bathrooms have oversize inline extractors venting to the outside activated by movement sensors in the showers and over the bath tubs. The same set up in the lavatories

[janking]

Really good advice if you live in a place where it’s drier outside than in, except that much of the US isn’t that place. In my place, DE, opening windows( which my bathroom doesn’t have), works maybe in April and May, late September until maybe November. Feel free to explain to my wife why it’s ok to open windows the rest of the year…hasn’t worked for me in 40 years.

[XzTS-Roostro]

Johnson Controls had released the JCI Glas™ smart thermostat years ago, which also monitors the AQI both indoors and outdoors. If it detects poor indoor air, it'll turn on the HVAC's circulation fan.

Unfortunately, they have discounted the device and its services, so anyone who currently has one will have it downgraded to being the fanciest programmable thermostat.

[Homebayview]

Awesome information but I can't find the switch or the power plugs in any of the links ....thought leviton was the brand but can't find it yet ...any help is appreciated it...would love to buy them

[weekendwarrior]

Looks like a Panasonic fan - it's really nice an quiet, and even comes with metal parts to hang it between 2 joists. Buy it.

[weekendwarrior]

I have a problem with standalone humidity sensors. Sometimes the humidity raises in the whole hose because of rain, then this thing kicks in and starts pulling even more humid air into the house. The really needs to be another sensor elsewhere and it should act on a difference, not absolute value.

[JM-qyyd]

You didn't mention anything about the requirement of fresh air intake order for the exhaust system to work correctly? No air in no air out. Thanks.

[pf]

Cool but I just want to know what bathroom fan you guys used for the demo. That thing is as quiet as a mouse.

[Lou_Mansfield]

Where can I buy that VOC sensor outlet, ? And how do I get it to turn on the bathroom fan?