This time around on Jill of All Trades, we tackle replacing a bathroom exhaust fan, which is SO MUCH easier than you would guess.  For sure, it was WAY easier than I ever expected.  You can do it in just a few minutes.

Why would you need to replace a bathroom fan?  Well, mine stopped working entirely, so the writing was on the wall.  But, I realized that it had been giving me signs for a while.  First of all, my bathroom ceiling started developing mold spots after years of never, ever having any issues.  Then, I started to get peeling paint on the shower ceiling.  I still didn’t put it together.

Next, the fan started getting squeaky and loud.  Then, it stopped working altogether.  By then, the damage was done.  The ceiling needed significant cleaning, patching, sealing and repainting.  But, I didn’t do any of that, until the fan had been replaced.

Turns out, bathroom exhaust fans go bad because they deal with a lot of moisture.  Eventually the shaft that turns the fan blades gets rusty and, over time, it’ll get so bad that the whole thing will seize up. That’s what happened to mine.

I would advise that, if your fan is over 10 or 12 years old, replace it.  If you’re noticing that it’s loud and turning slower than it used to, or running intermittently, for sure replace it.  And, if your bathroom ceiling looks wet after a shower, or if it’s starting to get mold or mildew spots, replace it as soon as possible.  Don’t let the damage escalate, like I did.

Let’s get started.  First, you’ll need to locate the fan model that is compatible with your fan.  Mine is a heat lamp/fan assembly by Broan and I was able to find a replacement fan for it on Amazon for about 50 bucks.  Search by model number for the fan that you have.  There should be a model number and brand information inside the unit, under the cover.

Once you have the correct fan, you need to remove the cover to the unit.  Mine, like a lot of them, is attached with 2 long, stretchy springs connected to the underside of the cover.  The other end of the springs hooks to a small hook up along the inside of the unit.  You can unhook just one and get the work done just fine, but it probably is easier to just unhook both springs and remove the cover entirely.

For me to access the fan unit, I have to unscrew one of the heat lamp bulbs.  You may have to do something similar.  Once you are able to see the fan unit, you may notice that it plugs into the side of one of the lightbulb sockets.  Yes!  It just plugs in!  You don’t have to do any wiring!  That is proof that manufacturers know that the fan will likely have to be replaced, at some point.

After you unplug the fan unit, you can remove the screws that hold it in.  Mine only had two, and I’m guessing that most of them are like that.  With the screws removed, you should be able to pull the fan unit right out. 

The old one is probably pretty dusty/dirty and likely has a decent amount of rust on the shaft.  Ultimately, that tells you that it was working, at least at some point.

To install the new fan unit, we just reverse the steps.  Place the unit where the original one was.  You will likely have to work the fan blade cylinder in the hole/sleeve where the original was.  Line up the screw holes and replace your screws.  Make sure you plug the new unit into the side of the lightbulb socket where the original was plugged in.  Replace any bulbs that you had to remove to work on the fan.

Before you replace the cover, test the fan (and the lights, if you have them) to make sure they’re working.  Make sure that the fan spins easily and quietly.  There should be no squeaking or scraping sounds.  It shouldn’t sound like it’s hitting anything or vibrating weirdly.  If there are issues, try tightening the screws more or loosening them enough to adjust the fan unit slightly and then tighten them back down.  Test again.

Once you decide it’s all good (and it should be), you’re ready to replace the fan cover.  Just reattach the springs to the inside walls of the entire unit. You are good to go.  Pat yourself on the back!  You just conquered another home repair and saved yourself a bunch of money and, potentially, a bunch of damage to your bathroom walls and ceiling.