Bathroom exhaust fans in Ottawa: swap, upgrade or a first fan

Swap, upgrade or a first fan

Three jobs share one name, and each prices differently.

• Like-for-like swap. A noisy or dead fan comes out and a new one goes into the same opening, on the same duct and wiring.
• Upgrade. A bigger or quieter fan, a light, a humidity sensor. The housing may differ in size, so the ceiling hole grows and the duct may change.
• First fan. A bathroom that had only a window, or a basement bathroom with none. That means a new opening, a duct to the outside and power from a circuit, sometimes a new one.

A photo of the grille and switch usually shows which.

Size and sound: the two numbers on the box

Air movement is given in cubic feet per minute (CFM). The Home Ventilating Institute suggests 50 CFM minimum for a bathroom of 50 sq. ft. or less, and about 1 CFM per square foot up to 100 sq. ft., so a 7 x 10 foot room needs 70 CFM. Above 100 sq. ft. it adds 50 CFM per toilet, shower and tub, and 100 for a jetted tub. An enclosed toilet should have its own fan.

Noise is given in sones: 1.0 is a refrigerator, 4.0 a television. For a quiet bathroom the Institute points to 1.0 sone or less. NRCan notes that noisy fans tend not to be used much, and that EnergyStar certified ventilation fans use 70% less energy than standard models.

Where the air goes in an Ottawa winter

The duct matters as much as the fan. NRCan says exhaust fans should always discharge outside, and away from the spot directly below the soffit vents. Attic ducts sit under the insulation or wrapped in it, with joints and the ceiling gap sealed.

NRCan wants attic ducts below the insulation or wrapped with it, which keeps a duct run from crossing the cold attic bare. NRCan also lists the roof area below a roof-ducted exhaust fan among spots prone to ice dams. One renovation guide has top-floor bathrooms ducting through the attic to the roof, and main-floor or basement ones to the side of the house.

Timers, humidity sensors and switches

A fan tied to the light often stops while the mirror is still wet. NRCan says a simple timer or humidity controller runs the fan on its own, without over-ventilating. Options: a countdown timer switch, a fan with a humidity sensor, or separate switches for fan and light.

A bathroom outlet needing work is covered on GFCI outlets; a bedroom or living room fan, on ceiling fan installation.

What sets the price

• a larger ceiling opening or framing changes for a new housing
• a new duct, roof cap or wall hood
• a tight attic, or a finished floor above with no attic to work from
• new wiring, or a new circuit from the panel
• drywall and paint around the old opening

Hourly rates and call fees: what an electrician costs in Ottawa.

ESA notification and who may do the work

ESA Bulletin 2-3-18 lists replacing an exhaust fan on an existing branch circuit of up to 30 A and 240 V, by a Licensed Electrical Contractor, among work that needs no notification. All new installations need one, and so does installing, extending or altering wiring. A first fan, or a swap with new wiring, falls on that side. See ESA permits.

ESA says anyone you hire for electrical work in an Ontario home must, by law, hold that contractor licence. Warning signs it lists: an estimate with no ECRA/ESA licence number and no ESA fee. When ESA passes the work it issues a Certificate of Acceptance.

Ontario’s consumer protection rules ask for a written contract with the work, materials and an itemized list. A bill can exceed an estimate in the contract by 10% at most unless you sign a change.

What the quote should list

The fan model with its CFM and sone figures; old duct or new, with its exit point; attic insulation, sealing and an outside damper; the control; any new wiring and the ESA fee; ceiling patching and removal of the old fan.

Who you are dealing with

Ottawa Electric Desk takes your request and passes it to one independent local electrical company. That company calls you back, looks at the bathroom, prices the job and does the work.