Most of the bathroom’s exhaust fans come with dampers in their kits for better air movement and protection of the internal environment.
Do Bathroom Exhaust Fans Have Dampers? Bathroom exhaust fans have dampers to restrict airflow, avoid pest and insect entry, inhibit entrance of cold or warm air, remove damp and hot air, and keep the environment comfortable and clean. These are present on exiting ducts of the exhaust fans that are present on the roofs or outside walls.
It is necessary to keep them clean and remove the dust and rust from their surface for their easy opening and closing. You can open them with your hands when they get stuck in a closed position because of weak airflow.
How do dampers work with bathroom exhaust fans?
Most dampers come with exhaust fan kits; you do not have to spend extra money to purchase them. You can select these according to the bathroom fan size for your convenience.
These are also known as backdraft dampers and have a butterfly shape. These are the flapped shape and two sections, depending on their types.
These open with the moving air to remove the hot and moist air outside the environment and improve internal conditions.
The pressure of the air from the moving fans opens the moisture removal. These shut down and become closed when you turn off the fan.
Sometimes, these can also get stuck in the closed direction because of the accumulation of debris on their side. In addition, the condensed air and moisture make them rusty and hinder their smooth movement.
These cannot open smoothly with pressurized air when their rusty parts get stuck. These are also helpful in drawing moisture and inhibiting the growth of molds and mildew on the walls behind the mirrors and vanity areas.
Why do bathroom exhaust fans need dampers?
These are the necessary part of the exhaust fans to remove the moist air, and you can also install them if these do not come up with your installation kits. These are mostly present in bathrooms and kitchen areas to remove the backflow of unwanted air into these places.
Restrict airflow
The function of the dampers is to allow the moist and cold air to move outside. In addition, it allows the unidirectional movement of and prevents their black flow.
The working principle of these devices is in one direction, and air from the interior side moves into the external environment to decrease relative humidity.
It restricts the flow of outside air into the inside environment. For example, it shuts down suddenly when you turn off the fans after taking showers.
It is good to keep them on when you shower with warm water. The condensation and more steam build in the interior with warm water due to temperature changes.
Avoid pests and bugs
Several bugs and pests get attracted to the moist environment and make their colonies there. They can easily find a way to enter these places after detecting the humid environment.
The bugs can easily come to this place because of the water’s presence. You can only hinder their entry with proper ventilation and sealing their entry and exiting points.
The fans and windows are present in these areas for ventilation which also act as the entry points for bugs and small insects.
These can also enter through the bathroom fan ducts and cause damage. In addition, ants, centipedes, cockroaches, and spiders are common bugs that enter your bathrooms.
These can damage the buildings and various accessories present in them. Ants can damage wooden cabinets and shelves.
It is better to use the dampers to close ducts when the fans are not in use. It can easily hinder the entry of pesky insects and birds from these open areas.
Protect cold and hot air entry
The hot and cold air also moves into your bathroom when exhaust fan ducts are open. The cold air comes into the inner side, which is uncomfortable in winter.
It is highly unpleasant when cold air blows in your surroundings while you shower in the winter. Moreover, it affects the working of the heating system because it cannot maintain the temperature efficiently.
The same issue comes in summer because of the blowing of hot air. The air conditioning units cannot work better, making your surroundings less warm.
Furthermore, the cold air also escapes outside these open ducts and causes temperature changes. The dampers at the end of the bathroom fan ducts inhibit air entry from the outside environment and maintain temperatures.
Comfortable and clean
The installation of dampers with exhaust fans is highly hygienic for your bathrooms. These are capable of reducing moisture and mold growth and removing contaminated air.
The removal of contaminated air makes the internal environment clean and comfortable. In addition, it is hygienic for your kids that require a safe and secure environment.
The interior seems more refreshing after removing contaminated air that leaves a lingering odor. Also, you cannot feel any smell from the toilet areas because of better ventilation.
Moreover, it is also a pleasant and comfortable situation for people when their mirrors remain clean and free from fog after taking a bath in the shower.
It also reduces mold growth and entry of bathroom molds by removing the hot and moist air. The dampers shut off when you turn off the fan and do not allow dust and dirt to enter.
The dust with blowing air enters when ducts are open and do not have covered ends.
Where are the dampers installed in bathroom exhaust fans?
You should know the location of exhaust fan dampers so you can inspect them and fix these issues. The location of these items depends on the installation of vent ducts.
Most people add ducts on the roof to remove odors and contaminated or moist air. In addition, the fresh air from the exterior environment also easily moves into the interior.
Moreover, these are also present on the outer side walls, so odors and humidity cannot contaminate the other parts of your home.
These are present outside the exhaust fans and in the areas where ducts are located. For example, you can see them on the exiting ducts of the roof and outside walls.
Inspecting them regularly for maintenance and ensuring their proper functioning is necessary. Turn on the fan and check their opening and air movement through them.
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