We just bought a house where the previous owner was keen on maintaining a clean look without external vents on the front, back, or roof. After some investigation, it seems our bathroom extractor fans vent into the soffit. We live in Virginia, where summers are quite humid and winters are cold and dry. I've seen advice from This Old House that venting into the soffit is a bad idea, but I haven't noticed any mold in the attic, and the renovations were done around ten years ago. How serious is this issue for us?
4 Answers
Have you thought about venting it out the gable end? I had the same issue when we moved in. I just used some insulated ductwork and a louvered vent to send it out the side of the house, and it worked like a charm!
It's definitely better than venting directly into the attic, but not by much. A good step would be to install proper soffit vents. Just keep in mind, you could still end up drawing moist air back into the attic if things aren’t set up right. Also, just because it’s been this way for ten years doesn’t mean it’s a good system—many folks don’t use their bath fans consistently. A simple solution is to set up timers to keep the fans running during and after your showers for a bit.
Is it preferred? Not really. But is it worth stressing over? Not really either. If you end up getting a new roof, that’s a good time to change the venting system. If you're feeling bored and there's a vent nearby, you could connect it then. But if you don’t feel like messing with it, don’t sweat it!
If you're thinking about moving those vents to the roof, consider how that'll affect any future solar panels you might want. Make sure to route them to the north side or cluster them together; you don't want to lose valuable roof space.
True, just remember that exhaust fans need to work a bit harder over longer distances. Just like with a dryer, if the exhaust line is too long, it can cause issues. So, if you put a vent on the north side of your roof, think about the moisture problems that could create in the bathroom.