Why You Should Overhaul Your Rattling Old Bathroom Fan

Not only does your bathroom fan help keep your bathroom odor-free, but it also brings down humidity levels in the most mold-prone rooms in your home, explains Colman Heating and Air. However, if you've recently had to clean pink mold out of your shower, it might mean that your bathroom fan has degraded over time and is no longer capable of adequately doing its job. If that's the case, it might be time to upgrade your bathroom fan.

When deciding whether or not you should overhaul your bathroom fan, it's important to consider several factors. First, do you see any evidence of wood rot in your bathroom? If so, you perhaps should have replaced your bathroom fan ages ago. However, it's still worthwhile to crack open your bathroom fan in order to see if it's obstructed. If your bathroom fan fails to properly ventilate your bathroom after it's been thoroughly cleaned, you can be reasonably sure that it's time to purchase a new model.

Thankfully for homeowners, upgrading your bathroom fan is much more affordable and easier to DIY than a vast majority of home upgrades. In fact, according to This Old House, most bathroom fans can be easily installed if no rewiring is required and will cost homeowners less than $500 on average. That being said, even the cost of a high-end bathroom fan is worth it when compared to the high rates charged by professionals to fix damage caused by rotted wood.

Other than saving you from costly damage repairs, a high-end bathroom fan comes with several distinct advantages. For instance, it will likely be much quieter than the old bathroom fan while providing much more powerful ventilation so that your bathroom remains dry and odorless. You may also need to invest in a more powerful bathroom fan if you've recently remodeled your bathroom. Remember, larger bathrooms require more powerful fans. That being said, bringing your bathroom's fan up to code is never a bad idea, either, especially if you plan on selling your home (per Sylvane).

When upgrading your bathroom fan, it's worthwhile to think about modern features that can make your life easier. For instance, according to Sylvane, some bathroom fans include built-in LED lights that are capable of illuminating an entire room. If your bathroom gets cold due to poorly-insulated windows, you can also consider investing in a bathroom fan that sports an integrated heating element. These are great for ensuring that the bathroom is toasty and comfortable when you get out of the shower without forcing your home's HVAC system to heat the entire house.

Although lighting and heating your bathroom are nice, some homeowners may prefer a bathroom fan that does even more. Nowadays you can buy bathroom fans with integrated Bluetooth speakers so that you can listen to your favorite song while taking a shower. Homeowners who adopt smart home technology should look into exciting new smart bathroom fans. These can be triggered via humidity sensors for improved performance and energy efficiency, and can even be initiated remotely via your smart hub app of choice (per The Bathtubber).