Trying to decide on a new bathroom fan, replacement fan, or upgrade your current bathroom fan?

With so many options, EFI has created a useful guide to help you select a bathroom fan that is best for your need. All of our fans provide a great way to remove odors and humidity from spaces such as bathrooms, which are prone to conditions that cause mold and moisture-related issues if proper ventilation isn’t in place. 

Things to Consider 

  • Fan Size and Power: Bathroom exhaust fan performance is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM). This unit of measure gives the amount of air that is moved by the fan each minute. To assist homeowners in determining what fan you should buy, typically you should be looking for one with a minimum CFM rating that equates to your bathroom’s square footage. For example, if you own an 80 square foot bathroom, you will want a fan that has a CFM close to 80. 

  • Noise: When trying to determine how noisy a fan will be, look for the "scones" number. This is the unit of measure for how loud a bathroom fan is. A fan with a lower scone number will tend to be quieter, usually less than 1.0 scones. Anything with a larger scone number will be louder (4.5). For example, if you are looking for a fan that will drown out the sound of toilet flush or shower spray, look for fans with scones that are greater than 3.5. If you are looking for a quiet bathroom fan that you will barely notice when it is on, look for fans with scones less than 1.0 scones. 

  • Installation and Ducting: When using a bathroom fan, the moisture and odors that it is absorbing must go somewhere and should be a consideration for anyone who is looking to buy an exhaust fan. Some fans vent into a home attic, which is not recommended as it exposes your attic to potential mold issues. Instead, you should consider venting bathroom exhaust fans through the side of your home.