Are Noisy Extractor Fans Annoying You?

Are Noisy Extractor Fans Annoying You?

By Ruth MacEachern

Product Manager

Unwinding in a warm bath at the end of a hard day is a luxury we can all enjoy, but it can be hard to relax if your bathroom extractor fan is too noisy and disturbs you.

You might think that the simplest thing to do is simply switch off the fan, light some candles and allow yourself to drift away, but that is actually the worst thing you can do.  Without an extractor fan running in your bathroom, humidity levels can build up and allow moist air to escape into the rest of your home where it will cause the condensation that ultimately leads to damp and mould.

According to analysis by the Oak Ridge Laboratory in the USA, the average bath results in more than a pint of water being released into the atmosphere of your home.  The resulting condensation can cause problems that could disturb you much more than the background noise of an old extractor fan rattling when you’re trying to rest.

What Causes Extractor Fan Noise?

There are a number of different factors that can make your once quiet bathroom extractor fan start to make a lot of noise.

If the fan blades or filter have started to become clogged with grease and dust, the motor will have to work much harder to draw as much air through the fan, and this can result in increases in the amount of noise due to the fan operating against additional resistance.

Wear and tear on motors and bearings can also cause the fan to make more noise.  If the rotation becomes unstable, the fan blades will beat against the air flow which will cause a low frequency noise that won’t stop.  A squealing or grinding noise might mean that the bearings or fan motor are degraded, and the problem will normally only get worse over time.

What can you do about a noisy extractor fan?

The first thing you should do is to clean the fan and filter – it’s a good idea to do this regularly as part of your general household cleaning process.  Improving the flow of air through the fan will make it more efficient and use less energy which might help to quieten it down a bit and let you get back to enjoying your bathroom again.  Most extractor fans are designed to allow access to the inside, but you should ensure that it is turned off when you remove the cover to avoid danger.

If simple cleaning doesn’t help, and the noise remains, it might be time to think about a replacement.  Modern Extractor fans such as the EnviroVent Silent 100 Eco are designed to run incredibly quietly, and have efficient motors mounted on elastic blocks to minimise the noise. 

Many new extractor fans include humidity sensors which will adjust the power levels that the fan runs at to ensure that they reduce humidity to a level that will prevent condensation.

Find out more

The right extractor fan for your home depends on a variety of factors including the size of the room and the levels of moisture that are generated.  Our local ventilation specialists can visit your home to carry out a free home survey that will identify the causes of moisture so that they can provide advice about the best products for your needs.

Simply fill in your postcode below to find an EnviroVent specialist near you.

Find out the difference between an extractor fan and an exhaust fan >