Commercial Bathroom Exhaust Fan Requirements

This is the industry standard.

Commercial bathroom exhaust fan requirements.

Local bathroom or kitchen fans that exhaust air outdoors and remove contaminants directly from the room where the fan is located also increase the outdoor air ventilation rate. This can lead to serious problems including warped cabinetry fogged mirrors mold and or mildew growth. Choose from a variety of exhaust fans fans with built in lights fan heater combinations and bathroom fan housing kits for contractors. Every bathroom requires an openable window that provides at least 1 5 square ft of air flow area when open 2006 irc 303 3 or mechanical type ventilation.

This exhaust air can be routed either to the roof using ductwork and a roof vent or to the side of your building using ductwork and a hooded wall vent. Sizing of your bathroom fan is very important and should produce at least 1 cfm for every square foot of the room. Ventilation in schools offices and commercial buildings. In those areas ventilation in bathrooms is required but it can be from a window or fan your choice.

A commercial restroom will require air to be changed 8 12 times an hour depending on the size of the facility and your local code. May be continuous or intermittent occupant controlled with prescribed rates e clothes dryers must be vented to the outside or condensing dryers plumbed to a drain. A fan that is too small will not effectively remove moisture from the room. Surprisingly bathroom fans are not required by some building codes.

All municipalities have different requirements but some do not draw a hard line on requiring exhaust fans. Mechanical exhaust is required and recirculation is prohibited except that recirculation shall be permitted where the resulting supply airstream consists of not more than 10 percent air recirculated from these spaces see section 403 2 1 items 2 and 4. Some signs of excessive uncontrolled bathroom moisture include. Bathroom window condensation and frost forming on bathroom windows during freezing.

Limits the capacity of a home s two largest exhaust fans to a net total exhaust flow of 15 cfm 100 ft2. We have bathroom fans and bathroom fan accessories including replacement fluorescent and halogen light bulbs plus bath fan upgrade kits that can reduce sound levels and boost air movement compared to older. Exhaust fan must be strong enough to restore the bathroom with fresh air every 7 1 2 minutes or 8 times an hour. Learn more about indoor air in homes and coronavirus covid 19.

50 cfm intermittent or 20 cfm continuous operation 2006 irc 303 3x. Stains thermal tracking or mold growth on bathroom walls and ceilings possibly also on bath vanities and cabinets. Bathroom fans are rated like other types of exhaust fan by the amount of air movement or cfm they produce.