Should You Install an Exhaust Fan or Heater for Your Bathroom?
Sometimes a room with an exhaust fan also needs a heater as strange as it may seem. Many bathrooms are cold simply because they lack a heater when it is cold outside. You can improve your cold and drafty bathroom by replacing the existing exhaust fan with a combo unit that has both a fan and heater.This is often the case if you have a drafty bathroom that gets gust of air where you want proper ventilation to keep the indoor air fresh and also stop the accumulation of mildew-causing moisture. In the winter months, you have two options:
- Add a separate heating unit
- Install a WhisperWarm unit that combines the exhaust fan with a heater.
Industrial Exhaust Fan
(Photo from markpeterson1)
The benefit of the WhisperWarm unit is that it contains a built-in damper to prevent backdraft and outside air moving back into the fan and into the room.
DIY vs Hiring a Contractor
To replace an existing bathroom vent with a new unit that combines venting and heating, an electrician will charge about $300, which includes the unit and its installation. If you have electrical skills and tools, you can do the bathroom heater replacement for about $200, the cost of the unit, and pocket a 46 percent saving. If there's not an existing vent and you need to run new electrical wiring, this will be more expensive. In that case a licensed electrician will be needed.- http://www.lowes.com/cd_Install+a+Bathroom+Exhaust+Fan_312723623_ - The details of installing your exhaust fan may differ by model. ... If your unit includes a heater and/or timer, additional cable may be required.
- http://www.ask-the-electrician.com/how-to-install-and-wire-a-bathroom-exhaust-fan-with-light-and-heater/ - Wiring a Combo Exhaust Fan Unit. Electrical Question: I have a bathroom that has an Exhaust Fan with a Light and Heater which are all separate units.
