Bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans are the most overlooked systems in every home. Most people forget them during the time they are functioning correctly. But when they malfunction, it creates a big mess. A kitchen and bathroom exhaust fan ensures proper room ventilation. If they are not working well, the room would be prone to moisture damages.
Moreover these fans also ensure fresh air inside the room that is necessary for a healthy lifestyle. You can hire a maintenance professional to keep your exhaust fans running smoothly. However, you can also perform regular maintenance yourself without hiring a pro. It will help you save money and keep your exhaust fans perfectly running in the long run.
DIY cleaning and maintenance of bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans is not a very difficult job to do. Today, we will share some tips and helpful information on how you can do regularly maintain and clean your exhaust fans without hiring professionals.
Before we discuss keeping your exhaust fans clean and running smoothly, we must also learn about what they do. A kitchen and bathroom exhaust fan performs almost the same function to circulate indoor air outside to keep the inside atmosphere refreshing. However, they are a little different in some ways.
A bathroom fan focuses more on removing the steam from the hot shower. Because the bathroom is a moist place, it is essential to stop the growth of mildew and mold, and other funky odors. A bathroom fan works to eliminate all such problems.
On the other hand, kitchen fans are installed in the above stoves or microwave assemblies. Like a bathroom fan, kitchen exhaust fans also move the inside air outside to refresh the kitchen. Moreover, a kitchen exhaust fan also helps remove smoke and cooking aromas. In short, the primary functions of both bathroom and kitchen fans are the same.
You must clean your bathroom fans after every 12 months, at least. Before cleaning, shut down the fan power. Use a step stool that helps you quickly take a complete view of the fan through the grate. The grate is usually attached with screws.
However, some grates are also attached with simple tension clips. Remove the grate and clean it with dish soap and warm water. Remove all dust from the assembly of the fan with a vacuum cleaner. After blowing vacuum air, use a cloth to remove the remaining dust from the bathroom exhaust fan. After removing all the dust, let it dry. Once it dries completely, you should replace the fan grate.
Just like a bathroom fan, you should clean your kitchen fan every year. However, cleaning a kitchen fan is a bit more complex task. For proper cleaning, you should read the user manual of your bathroom fan model. It holds all the steps required to clean your kitchen fan. If you don’t have the user manual or are unsure how to clean it, you should hire a professional kitchen fan cleaner.
Maintenance of a bathroom and kitchen fan is crucial for their longevity. You can run your bathroom fan anytime you need fresh air. However, it is essential to turn on the bathroom fan during the hot shower for approximately 20 minutes. Or, run it until it obliterates the moist air.
When it comes to a kitchen fan, you should run it only during cooking hours. However, you can also run it as per your requirements. Kitchen fans help eliminate cooking smells and delectable aromas. Ideally, it would be good to run your kitchen fan when cooking involves grease or oil and boiling water. You can also run it to clear kitchen smoke.
Remember that running bathroom and kitchen fans unnecessarily for more extended periods will reduce their lifespan. Avoiding the unnecessary use of exhaust fans will also help you minimize your energy bills. These fans are of no benefit if they are not venting effectively, even if they are operable and clean. If proper ventilation is not taking place, you should inspect your attics and walls for mildew and mold. They might be blocking air or becoming a cause of unpleasant odors. You must inspect your vent pipes for any issues.
Also, look for broken vent pipe dampers. You can spot an obstructed or broken damper without even using a step stool. If you think there is rust on them, power on the fan and look at it from outsides. If there is no flapping, you probably need to oil it or replace it.
Always use your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fan according to the instructions of the manufacturer. Remember that regular maintenance and cleaning of the exhaust fan will improve its life. More importantly, you will be enjoying an uninterrupted functionality of the fan that is critical.
Every home appliance is machinery so that they would malfunction ultimately. Therefore, even the highest quality appliances come with a specific timeframe after which they will start deteriorating.
However, routine cleaning and timely maintenance may add some extra years to their life. But still, they are not going to last forever. Typically, a high-quality kitchen fan lasts for approximately ten years. If it is a bathroom fan, it will last approximately 15 years. Once your exhaust fan has lived its life and is not working efficiently, you should replace them.
A kitchen and bathroom exhaust fan is necessary for every home to keep these rooms fresh and odor-free. However, regular cleaning and maintenance are essential for the longevity of these fans. You can perform regular upkeep and cleaning of your exhaust fans by following the tips in this guide.
Or, you can also hire a professional for maintenance and cleaning purpose. Whichever way you go, you must ensure cleaning and maintenance regularly. Otherwise, your exhaust fans would not provide optimal results and may malfunction too early.
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