Bathroom Fan and Heater

[MarkSLSmith]

Hi Folks,

I've been shopping for a new bathroom vent fan/heater combo unit.  So far, the selection doesn't seem very plentiful, so maybe I'm missing something.

Some facts:

1. The existing unit is a combination vent and heater.  The bathroom has a dedicated 20 A circuit for this device.  As a result, I want to replace with a combo unit and not downgrade to vent fan only.

2. Existing unit is 12x16" on the grill.  Using a thin metal ruler, it appears to have about 1" to the box, so I think my existing hole is 10x14" approximately.  I don't mind enlarging the opening, but I'd rather not go to a smaller unit that would require drywall patching.

3. I want a unit with a light also.  Ideally, the light should be something common, so that a standard light bulb or screw in LED would work.  

Some innuendo:

1. One of the most common brands, broan/nutone, seems to have an awful lot of complaints about the heaters failing rapidly.  If I exclude this brand, the playing field gets a lot smaller.

I'd love to get some advice and recommendations about brands or other places to shop.  I've hit the big box stores and amazon already.

Thanks,
Mark

[Robert Adams]

Those combo units with a heater are a relic of the 80s and fallen out of favor. In fact bathroom vent fans are on their way out as well being replaced with the use of ERVs and HRVs using vents in the bathrooms as the source of air to constantly be pulled out of the house or single fan units that pull from multiple bathrooms. 

          Broan and Panasonic are the main ones. Delta (not the tool or faucet company) makes a few but they hare not very popular. Airking is another lesser known brand with allot more versions to choose from. 


           I have the classic style broan in the toilet only off the utility room. It works and has just enough noise. The Delta that is in the new master bathroom that is still under construction is a nice unit but... Installing it is a royal PITA. It is not as easy to install as a Broan. It's also way way too quiet. One of the purposes of a vent fan is to produce noise to cover other noises in the bathroom. Though it does have a humidistat setting so you can just let it do its thing. 

            The humidistat mode is turned on by turning the unit off and making sure the blue light is on. One problem is that when the power goes out or flickers it will change the mode of the fan from one to the other. Also if you have it in that mode in the spring time or any time you have the windows open the fan will run non stop because it kicks on at 60% which it's always humid here... No need for a heater in bathrooms here though a tiny mini split would be nice.

[toolmiser]

We have an "air to air" and exhaust fans. The fans will out perform the air to air any time. Lots of times I will run both when taking a shower in the winter.

[Ohio Mike]

 So far, the selection doesn't seem very plentiful, so maybe I'm missing something.

Two years ago a family member's house was for sale and we had to disable the heater inside the combo light/heat/vent unit for safety reasons. 

Granted, the unit was made in the 1960's and *we* knew enough to use incandescent bulbs it.  But the new owners might install an LED bulb made of plastic which could melt when the heater is on and cause a fire. 

Checking a few on Amazon, I see one that requires an incandescent bulb and another uses a CFL with a pin-style base so you can't substitute a screw-in LED bulb.

This may be the reason these are getting harder to find.

[EdL]

I've had Broans for years, never an issue with them.

Have one to replace in the near future, a Broan will take its place.

Fwiw, I've always bought them at the electrical supply house, not the borg.

Ed

[Snipe Hunter]

I rarely see one of these inspecting houses. If I do see them, they're usually in older homes 60's, early 70's and the heater rarely works. One of the reasons they were made is because codes changed. At one time "Heat Sources" were only required in bedrooms and common areas, not bathrooms. And they're still only required in bathrooms on exterior walls. A heat source can be an HVAC register, radiator, electric heater, baseboard heater etc. So instead of changing the design of the house or installing larger furnaces/heat-pumps they just put in an electric heater in the exhaust fan. The market for them now is very small.

I'd just make the hole smaller, paint the ceiling and buy a modern exhaust fan. If it ever fails, the hole will be a standard size and just put in a new one.

Has the unit failed? A lot of those old units had standardized parts over several brands. Parts might still be available. It wasn't that long ago that we replaced the fan motor when the fan failed, not the whole unit.

[Robert Adams]

The only ones that are hard to get parts for are the round ones. The fan motors are available if you dig for them but they are pricey. I have never been able to buy vent fans or parts at our electrical supplier. Always have to go to the HVAC supplier.

           As for making the hole smaller... The issue is that many houses have drywall texture which is a royal pain to match if you have to repair. Any time you build a house do NOT texture the walls. Here it was done because the drywall guys were crap quality.

[Snipe Hunter]

The issue is that many houses have drywall texture which is a royal pain to match if you have to repair. Any time you build a house do NOT texture the walls. Here it was done because the drywall guys were crap quality.

gotcha..

[Pirate]

On textured walls.
Our new to us house has textured walls, and we love them.
It's a knock down texture.
Filling a nail hole. A little filler in hole and a dab of paint, just on the filler and the hole goes away. On a flat wall?
To each his own.

[KC]

On textured walls.
Our new to us house has textured walls, and we love them.
It's a knock down texture.
Filling a nail hole. A little filler in hole and a dab of paint, just on the filler and the hole goes away. On a flat wall?
To each his own.

^^^

Exactly the reason I hate smooth walls.