Factors to consider when buying a ventilation fan for your home

Exhaust Fan or ventilation fans, as the name suggests, is used for ventilation or to push off the hot and moist air from the interiors. It plays a significant role in maintaining the temperature in a room, be it hot, cold or dry. It maintains the proper temperature and air circulation inside your home. Ventilation fans are also used in the bathrooms and kitchens. There are different types of ventilation fans depending on the use they are put to. So when choosing a ventilation fan, you should consider a few factors.

Different types of fans

• Ceiling mounted fansare placed on the ceiling face first, connecting the air ducts through a hole.
• Wall mounted fans are placed on the wall, connecting the air ducts through a hole in the wall. They would have a wall panel nearby that contains the controls and settings and vents.
• Inline ventilation fans are installed inside air ducts or between them. These fans are silent as they are placed inside walls, and they allow for a broader range of wall design.
• Combination fans are a cross between the other types, having the features of other ventilation fans built into them. This type of fan offers you elements that might not be present when you use only one type of a fan.

Airflow Capacity /Cubic feet per minute (CFM)

Airflow capacity is defined as the cubic feet per minute (CFM) the fan can circulate and it depends on the size of the ventilation fan. If the CFM is low, then the time taken for a fan to ventilate a room will be longer. In other words, a larger fan will have a higher CFM.

When considering small spaces, the 100 square foot rule is taken into account. The rule states that ventilation fans used in spaces under 100 square feet require one CFM per square foot; thus you can determine how many CFM is required for your ventilation fan.

Equivalent Duct Length

The composition and length of the ventilation ducts can affect the performance and effectiveness of a ventilation fan. The pressure in the ducts and the force that the ventilation fan must overcome depends on the length and composition of the ventilation ducts.

Since many types of metals are used to build ventilation ducts, you have to choose which type is ideal for your purpose. Ducts made of smooth metal have a pressure that is equal to the length of the duct.

If you find out what the equivalent duct length is, then you can easily find out how much pressure the ventilation fan must overcome while transferring air from a moisture ridden environment to the outside.

Having additional features on your ventilation fan like lights, heaters, timers etc will be good, so while shopping for one, decide what features you would require. A timer is useful to set the fan at self-shutoff, and helps in conserving energy.