PSA: clean out your bathroom exhaust fans

"gin-san - shitpost specialist" (gin-san-) 04/26/2020 at 12:27 • Filed to: SPRING CLEANING

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I was just doing a thorough vacuuming of my place and while I normally clean the grille covering the fan, I never bothered to remove the grille and check out the fan itself.

Holy fuck, i t’s like the fan grew a carpet. I’m assuming it’s over six years of dust since I don’t recall having cleaned it before. I brushed and vacuumed the hell out of it; s eems like airflow is much better now and it even sounds better. Maybe it’s all just a placebo effect since I want to believe my work was worthwhile.

I’d ask you all to do the same with dryer vents, and may be worthwhile to setup an additional exhaust trap that you can cl ean easily since there’s quite a bit that gets past the lint filters in the dryer itself (at least in my place).

facw > gin-san - shitpost specialist 04/26/2020 at 12:35

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No! That way lies madness! It’s better not to know! Ignorance is bliss!

avalonian > gin-san - shitpost specialist 04/26/2020 at 12:37

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I have a guy in my area who charges roughly 100 dollars, and they clean out all the vents in the house. And replace your filter. But it is absolutely worth while.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > facw 04/26/2020 at 12:37

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Curiosity got the best of me and once I saw the filth I couldn’t let it stay.

wafflesnfalafel > gin-san - shitpost specialist 04/26/2020 at 12:40

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Our place is old so no bathroom fans, (just a fancy sliding window for ventilation!)  And you are totally spot on with cleaning the dryer vents - those things can cause fires if left unchecked...

gin-san - shitpost specialist > avalonian 04/26/2020 at 12:43

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If I had a house I’d consider it, but for a one bedroom apartment I’ll add it to the list of things I need to clean out once in a while. Even once every few years would be an improvement since this is the first time in over six years, I think. 

jimz > gin-san - shitpost specialist 04/26/2020 at 12:45

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those things are fire hazards.  two of the three people I’ve known who have had “thermal events” at home have been due to a seized up bathroom fan. 

jeepoftheseus > gin-san - shitpost specialist 04/26/2020 at 12:49

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I experienced this magic back in January. I had to go up in the non-storage attic to hook up a new attic fan (new roof who dis). I have been here for three and a half years and had not ventured into this attic yet, mainly due to not having a ladder that could get to the access. Anyhow the bathroom vent was no longer attached to the vent on the roof and just filling the attic. So I fixed that and then took apart the fan itself in the bathroom to clean it and boy oh boy did the combination of being cleaned and hookEd  up correctly make a world of a difference. I believe that you have earned yourself a cold one, maybe even a shower beer!

Nom De Plume > gin-san - shitpost specialist 04/26/2020 at 12:51

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Pro tip: Be prepared to really hear that thing working now that you’ve removed the compacted wall of noise insulation. Chances are whatever lubrication once existed is long gone. So be ready for the mess of spraying lube in from an odd angle and the fan expelling it.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > gin-san - shitpost specialist 04/26/2020 at 13:05

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Huge fire risk

Thomas Donohue > gin-san - shitpost specialist 04/26/2020 at 13:12

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+1 for your clothes dryer vents, and stove exhaust if you have one.

Both of those things are also (bad) accidents waiting to happen.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Nom De Plume 04/26/2020 at 13:25

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The insulation around it seemed fine, just a lot of dust stuck to it. I’ve seen older fans where that stuff basically disintegrates to the touch but luckily it wasn’t the case here.

As for the lube... yeah fuck probably.

RPM esq. > gin-san - shitpost specialist 04/26/2020 at 13:36

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Along similar lines  I took apart and thoroughly cleaned two bathroom sink drains yesterday. Maybe add that to the every-couple-years list, woof.

ClassicDatsunDebate > gin-san - shitpost specialist 04/26/2020 at 13:41

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It’s toilet paper dust.  Take a rolling pin and re-form it into sheets.

Nom De Plume > gin-san - shitpost specialist 04/26/2020 at 14:35

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I meant the dust being so thick noise couldn’t pass through it.  Remove that and it sounds like a plane is landing.

ranwhenparked > Nom De Plume 04/26/2020 at 15:41

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The one in my downstairs bathroom sounds like a cement mixer, I’m going to assume its already clean and continue ignoring it. 

Nom De Plume > ranwhenparked 04/26/2020 at 16:02

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Pro Tip # 2: You can somewhat alleviate the noise  if it has a metal cover by bending it slightly.  One or two corners that aren’t touching the ceiling vibrate silently leaving just the motor noise to contend with.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > gin-san - shitpost specialist 04/26/2020 at 22:01

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I’ve been thinking of making one of these to blowout my dryer vent . Foosball and tap for an air compressor.