Bathroom extractor fan stopped working - DIY replacement?

[Twofingertyper]

Hi all,

My bathroom extractor has given up the ghost - it’s about 15 years old and was installed when the house was new so a reasonable service considering it’s in the main bathroom too.

A quick question, is it fine to DIY a replacement (like for like or close to that) or does it need an electrician, someone to check venting, etc?

Thanks

 

[EFLImpudence]

If you can do it; carry on.

I think the police state doesn't officially start until next year.

 

[Twofingertyper]

That'll do me - so long as I can find a like for like replacement should be fine.

 

[JohnD]

Can you post a pic? Include any switch or connectors you can see.

We can recommend a good replacement.

Does it come on with the light switch? Does it continue running for a while after switching off?

Most budget bathroom extractirs vent through a 100mm duct in the wall. Does yours?

 

[Twofingertyper]

Can you post a pic? Include any switch or connectors you can see.

We can recommend a good replacement.

Does it come on with the light switch? Does it continue running for a while after switching off?

Most budget bathroom extractirs vent through a 100mm duct in the wall. Does yours?

Thanks - it's going to be tomorrow before I can get a pic or look at it - not sure I want to be playing around in the loft after a long work day (it'll only end in one way and that's another post in another forum about quickest ways to repair holes in the ceiling until I can get a professional in).

However, I can confirm it comes on with the light switch (well, it used to) is on the ceiling (and from there goes through a couple of meters of ducting to the external wall) and did run for a period after the light was switched off (although this seemed more time based than anything more advanced). Vent looks quite like the circular part of this Manrose kit.

It's pretty much over the bath when it comes to location (no shower in this room).

I was planning on having a bathroom overhaul done as it's showing it's age, so this is just a perfect way to teach me that I should stop procrastinating and get a move on...

 

[JohnD]

Sounds quite good. We can suggest a fine replacement that is likely to be quieter and more powerful (I have found Manrose to be rather poor. They are cheap in every sense)

Check the duct diameter, and that it does not hold any condensation (rock it about)

If the room does not have steamy showers, you will not need an ultra-powerful one.

The fan should preferably be mounted on a thick ply board, screwed to the roof timbers with an intermediate layer of carpet underlay or similar to muffle vibration.

 

[Twofingertyper]

Okay, I have looked at this now - and feel it is beyond me.

The vent in the ceiling is just a vent, goes through a length of flexible ducting, and then the fan is actually attached to the beams in the loft, it's a small thing and one of the supporting legs has snapped off meaning that it's no longer held in place correctly, which is probably part of what led to the problem it now has.

From the fan there's another bit of ducting that then goes to the wall and outside.

I suppose it's possible to replace the fan (which looks like the one previously linked to) as a way forward? There's no condensation, but it looks like the house previously had mice as the part going towards the wall has clearly seen better days.

New hose, new fan? Cable tie things back together? Only issue would be getting the grid on the external wall as it goes through a length of solid pipe (for some reason?) before it finally reaches the wall which (because of the pipe) is inaccessible to me.

 

[JohnD]

Some photos would help a lot.

The rigid pipe is preferable, because, being smooth, it does not trap fluff and condensation, and it can be tilted so any water runs outside the house

Fixing as I described is quite simple

A much better fan that will replace your old one is

4"/100mm In line Duct Extractor Fan - Silent - 160m3/hr c/w Timer | Soler_&_Palau (5211322200)

If the cost is too high there are alternatives.

Ventilation grilles and ducts, if necessary, see the same page.

 

[Twofingertyper]

Sorry for lack of updates, I have been laid low by COVID.

I have confirmed it's a 'SF100T In-Line 100mm Duct Fan Kit Timer 100mm' by Manrose, and nothing appear to be wrong with it on a visual inspection.

The aforementioned mouse chewed part of the ducting (that leads to the rigid pipe) was in a difficult to access part of the loft (away from where there's flooring laid), but after moving things around it'll need to be replaced as it's no longer fully in-tact.

This is how it looks in the loft.

 

[JohnD]

SF100T

Rather noisy and not very powerful. You can get much better.

 

[markyd1]

The ducting shouldn't be raised like that as it causes the condensation to run back on itself

 

[JohnD]

The ducting route looks like there is a good chance it could be replaced with rigid

Preferably with a gentle slope so any condensation will trickle outwards

And it can have insulation flopped over it to reduce condensation.

 

[Twofingertyper]

The ducting shouldn't be raised like that as it causes the condensation to run back on itself

Thanks - this is as it was since it was built from new (as far as I can tell) it comes from the vent into bathroom into the extractor fan that is screwed into the beam and then back down and to the wall vent (via a rigid pipe).

The ducting route looks like there is a good chance it could be replaced with rigid

Preferably with a gentle slope so any condensation will trickle outwards

And it can have insulation flopped over it to reduce condensation.

I think in the first instance I want a quickish fix to the existing set-up, however, I was planning on having the bathroom overhauled, and if we were to put a shower into this room then I could look into replacing with a better solution to this one.

SF100T

Rather noisy and not very powerful. You can get much better.

To be honest, this is the first time I've looked at this set-up - I had assumed that the fan would have been on the actual vent before I looked, so it's all very educational for me...

 

[JohnD]

The better inline fans (like the one I linked) can be quieter, and at least twice as powerful, as the little wall ones. If you are thinking of fitting a steamy shower, the 240 cu.m/hr version is even better.

Builders habitually fit a low-price fan.

 

[Twofingertyper]

The better inline fans (like the one I linked) can be quieter, and at least twice as powerful, as the little wall ones. If you are thinking of fitting a steamy shower, the 240 cu.m/hr version is even better.

Builders habitually fit a low-price fan.

Yes, sorry - I didn't thank you for that link - so thank you!

And obviously aware of new builds getting things that 'work' over quality, the state of some of the other things I've replaced is testament (facias... I still don't know what they were doing when they put them up) ... however! They have lasted 15 or so years (not all for me though), so can't complain too much.