How close can a fan be to a shower?

Author: Bailey Hansen  |  Last update: Saturday, March 8, 2025

One Foot In, One Foot Out – Ideally, you should place a bathroom fan in the ceiling about 1 foot from the shower and between the shower and the door.

Where is the best place to put a fan in a shower room?

over the shower is your best bet as this is where the most steam will be created. If your bathroom is upstairs and the loft is accessible you can us an inline shower fan where the actual fan is situated in the loft. Otherwise you will need an 12volt fan as 240v are not allowed in the vicinty of showers.

Can you put a fan directly above a shower?

Exhaust fans with a UL listing for installation over a tub or shower on a GFCI circuit can be installed over a tub or in a shower. This applies to most Air King exhaust fans and exhaust fans with light. Units that include any type of heating function to them are not able to be installed over a tub or shower.

What is the code for exhaust fan in bathroom shower?

To fulfill the local exhaust airflow requirements of ASHRAE 62.2 (2010) and the International Residential Code (IRC 2021, Section M1507), bathroom fans should have a mechanical exhaust capacity of ≥ 50 cfm for intermittent operation or ≥ 20 cfm of ventilation when operated continuously.

How close does a vent need to be to a shower?

UPC code, mim 2" drain for a shower and your mim distance for a trap arm to a vent is 5 feet, but most inspectors will allow 6 to 7 feet.

Electricians day extractor fan installation. Client wanted a fan light!!! Nope

How close can exhaust fan be to shower?

One Foot In, One Foot Out – Ideally, you should place a bathroom fan in the ceiling about 1 foot from the shower and between the shower and the door.

How far away can a vent be from a drain?

For a 1 ½-inc pipe the vent should be 42 inches away at the most while a 2-inch pipe must have a maximum distance of 5 feet. For pipes that have a diameter of 3 inches the distance is 6 feet and for a 4-inch pipe the most it should be away from the vent is 10 feet.

Where should a bathroom vent fan be located?

Start by selecting the location for the fan. The fan should be placed between the shower and toilet to ensure efficient circulation of air and ventilation of moisture.

Does a shower need a vent fan?

Without an exhaust fan, you can expect to have mold growing in your shower, peeling paint, and even damaged drywall. Prolonged moisture buildup is a disaster for the bathroom; picture damaged walls, floors, ceilings, fixtures, and even doors.

What is the NEC code for bathroom fans?

New NEC® Section 422.18(B) states that metal parts of ceiling-suspended (paddle) fans in bathrooms and shower spaces shall not be located within a zone measured 3 feet horizontally and 8 feet vertically from the top of the bathtub rim or shower stall threshold.

Where do you put a shower fan?

When the fan is in the center of the bathroom, it actually drags the moisture from the shower across the room rather than venting it straight out and away. To prevent this, bathroom fans should be placed in the shower or just outside of the shower to eliminate moisture at the source.

Should you run an exhaust fan while showering?

It's important to have this fan on during showers, otherwise, moisture will settle onto the walls and fixtures. When moisture is constantly present, mold can begin to grow. Turn the exhaust fan on if you plan on taking a hot shower or bath.

Can bathroom fans share a vent?

Exhaust fans in separate dwelling units can share a common exhaust if each exhaust fan is equipped with a back-draft damper to prevent cross contamination. Remember to remove any packing tape used to hold the dampers closed during shipping.

What is the difference between Zone 1 and Zone 2 bathroom fans?

Zone 1: The exterior of the bath or shower tray to a height of 2.25 metres above the finished floor level. Zone 2: Extends to 0.60 metres beyond Zone 1 to a height of 2.25 metres above the finished floor level.

Does a bathroom fan reduce humidity?

Bathroom exhaust fans and vent fans for your stove can be key in keeping a low humidity level in your house. These products are designed to remove the excess humidity that is created by showering, boiling water, and other activities that will create excess moisture in the air.

Where do shower fans lead to?

In simplest terms, bathroom exhaust fans have a motor that runs on electricity. That motor powers a fan, which draws moist air up through the fan and into ductwork (generally speaking) that – if installed correctly – exhausts to the outside, often through a soffit vent or eave vent hood.

Should you keep the bathroom door open or closed after a shower?

Keep doors closed all the time.

After you shower, the interior space is at its wettest point. Try to keep the doors open for a half hour or so until the steam clears. If you have a fan in your bathroom, make sure to turn it on and let the air circulate.

How long should you leave the fan on after a shower?

Well, depending on the size of your bathroom, the time may vary a little, but the general consensus is that leaving the fan running for about 20 minutes after a shower is long enough to remove the moisture from your bathroom.

Is it better to vent a bathroom fan through the roof or side of the house?

That's why it's fine to have bathroom vents in a basement or lower floors to leave through the side of the home. To help your attic stay clear of mold or mildew, make sure all exhaust fans running through the attic leave through the roof. For one, you'll lessen the chance of the warm air getting back into the attic.

Should you caulk around a bathroom exhaust fan?

After the fan is installed, air seal with caulk between the fan housing and drywall from the room side before installing the trim.

Should a bathroom fan be in the center of the room?

The main purpose of the bath fan is to remove steam and moisture from the air. So the fan should be located over the primary source of moisure in the room – your shower.

How close does the vent need to be to shower?

According to the UPC, the distance between your trap and the vent should be no more than 6 feet. In other words, for the vent to work properly, it needs to feed into the drain line within 6 feet of the trapways that connect to it.

How far can a p-trap be from a shower drain?

In the state I live in the P trap needs to be under the shower as the drop from the shower drain to the trap is required to be vertical and less than 24 inches. Vertical is however defined as 45 degrees or more from horizontal, so one could be somewhat off of center of the drain.

Can a shower and toilet share a vent?

Yes, the toilet and sink can share the same vent, as can the shower. It's common to have one main vent pipe for multiple fixtures, although you might need a larger pipe. You should check with local building and plumbing codes to confirm you'll have adequate piping for your home.

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