How to Install a Bathroom Fan | Ask This Old House

In this video, This Old House host Kevin O'Connor works with a professional electrician to install a ventilation fan in a bathroom. (See below for a shopping list and tools.)

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Kevin O'Connor and electrician Brian Bergeron helped a homeowner install a new fan in her bathroom. The fan exhausts the humid air created by the shower to the outside of the house. Brian determined that the easiest way to power the fan was to use the electricity from an existing light switch. With the power shut off, he disconnected the light switch. Next, he enlarged the hole in the wall so he could make the existing electrical box bigger to accommodate a separate switch for the fan. Up in the attic, Brian and Kevin drilled a hole through the top of the wall and "fished" new wire for the fan down to the switch box. Downstairs, Brian connected the wire to the new fan switch, which has a built-in timer. Next, Brian cut a hole in the ceiling between two joists and fastened the fan in place. Then, he connected the new wire to the junction box on the fan. Finally, he cut a hole through an exterior wall and installed a louvered vent on the outside. He then installed flexible ducting between the fan and the wall. Later, up in the loft, Tom recommended that for colder climates, it's a good idea to use insulated ducting to prevent condensation inside the duct.

Shopping List for How to Install a Bathroom Fan:
- bath ventilation fan [amzn.to/2jF4ose], used to exhaust air from bathroom
- metal elbow, flexible duct and vent [amzn.to/2l5seh5], for exhausting air from fan to outdoors
- duct tape [amzn.to/2jAhAP3], for sealing duct and vent connections
- nonmetallic electrical cable [amzn.to/2NP7eJp], for connecting fan to switch
- twist-on wire connectors [amzn.to/32jFLCV], for joining together wires
- metal electrical switch box [amzn.to/2jDoRO1], for housing new fan control
- fan control, wall-mounted switch [amzn.to/2xH5ZkH], for operating fan

Tools for How to Install a Bathroom Fan:
- drill/driver [amzn.to/2xMFxWQ] fitted with a 5/8-inch auger bit [amzn.to/2l6VuE7], 3/8-inch drill bit [amzn.to/2l5WmJg], and 4-inch hole saw [amzn.to/2jFvPSG]
- drywall or keyhole saw [amzn.to/2jCUPK8], to cut hole in wall and ceiling
- fish tape [amzn.to/2l8P5Z3], for snaking electrical cable down through wall
- pliers [amzn.to/2l2JraV] and wire strippers [amzn.to/2jFwwvg], for installing and stripping wires
- screwdriver [amzn.to/2XMTy1k], for tightening wire connections

Special assistance by Bergeron Electric. [bergeronelectrical.net/]
Brian installed a new bathroom fan manufactured by Panasonic. [bit.ly/3iKQ1w7]
Brian also installed Electronic Auto-off Timer (model #EI210WD89) by Intermatic Inc. [intermatic.com/] to control the fan.

About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.

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How to Install a Bathroom Fan | Ask This Old House
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