I just moved into my first house, and I've noticed something strange in the guest bathroom. There's an exhaust fan that turns on by itself, and when it does, a little yellow light next to the switch also lights up. I can switch it off, but it inevitably comes back on later, even though no one's used the bathroom yet. The house temperature is set to 78°F, and I'm starting to wonder if this is some kind of humidity-sensing fan. I'm also a bit anxious about it since I've heard that leaving bathroom fans running can lead to fires. Is it possible to disable this fan?
3 Answers
It sounds like you've got a humidity-sensing fan. These are designed to turn on automatically when they detect excess moisture in the air. If you can take a picture of the fan or the switch, that might help others identify it better. There may be settings to adjust the humidity levels or even turn it off if that's what you prefer!
Honestly, the chance of your bathroom fan starting a fire is super low. Older models can have issues, but today's fans are generally safe if they're maintained. If it still freaks you out, you could easily swap the sensor switch for a standard toggle switch. Or, if you’re up for it, put in a timer switch instead for a bit more control! That way, it can help eliminate moisture without the auto-on feature.
I think it might actually have a motion detector. They can be really handy, especially if you've got kids who forget to turn the fan on when needed! If it continues to bother you, just have an electrician check it out or even replace it with a simpler switch.