Choosing an Exhaust Vent
mikeysp
| Posted in General Questions on
I am in zone 4a, Nashville area.
I am about ready to put up my siding and am not sure what type of exterior wall fixture I should use for venting through walls for range, bathroom fan, erv.
Also, what dimensions where: 4″, 6″, ?
I prefer budget friendly, but will spend extra if it means good air seal, low maintenance and longevity.
Thank you.
-Mike
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Replies
Not entirely sure how you would vent through the walls, unless all bath exhausts, etc are going to be on an exterior wall. Or are you talking a 2 level home and about venting through the rim joist framing?
The other two options are venting at soffit, and venting through roof.
Downside of soffit is if you have a vented attic, that warm moist vented air can get right back up into the attic. Solution is to have a large overhang, and block the soffit intake vents for about 18" on either side of any soffit exhaust vent.
Downside of roof vent is more duct in attic and more holes in roof that will eventually leak.
If you go the soffit vent route, the Panasonic EZ vents are really good. They have a fairly effective damper (better than the competition). This site did an article about them years ago, and Home Depot sells them under another brand name.
CL, the bathroom is on first floor and will use rim joist to exit through wall. I was more interested in which flapper or other mechanism vent cover offered good air seal when the fan was off.
Not sure about wall vents. But if you can make is a soffit vent this one is good with a reasonable damper.
https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/a-better-bath-fan-termination-for-soffits
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gibraltar-Building-Products-8-in-x-9-25-in-Round-White-Weather-Resistant-Plastic-Soffit-Vent-for-4-in-Ducts-LTS141/313487680
Otherwise install an inline damper in the duct, a vent termination outside, and cut some fiberglass screen to put on the back side of the exterior vent termination. Just make sure you have sufficient static pressure to open the damper
https://www.homedepot.com/p/VENTS-US-6-in-Galvanized-Back-Draft-Damper-with-Rubber-Seal-KOM-150-U/205715170
Otherwise get an inline damper
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I have this site bookmarked: https://www.hvacquick.com/products/residential/attic-fans/Soffit-Vents. But I haven't ordered them myself.