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SparkyChick

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Hi all,

Been asked to install an extractor fan in a bathroom and am looking to go down the soffit vent route. Having looked on-line, there are quite a few to choose from. Does anyone have any recommendations based on past experience?

At the moment, my favourite is this:-

Lambro Under Eave Vent

But, I've never fitted one before so for all I know it's a pile.

Thanks

Christina
 
I go for the tile replacement option where possible, but it's a lot more of a fiddle (I found a friendly roofer who will do the necessary if Its just too breathtaking for me). I haven't used your vent, but it looks good.
One thing on soffits, depending on age of house they may have used asbestos sheeting, or covered the asbestos with pvc sheet. Have a good look before cutting and take precautions :)
 
I go for the tile replacement option where possible, but it's a lot more of a fiddle (I found a friendly roofer who will do the necessary if Its just too breathtaking for me). I haven't used your vent, but it looks good.
One thing on soffits, depending on age of house they may have used asbestos sheeting, or covered the asbestos with pvc sheet. Have a good look before cutting and take precautions :)

Funnily enough, I've been reading the threads about asbestos soffits in researching this. I always use my half face respirator with P3 filters if ever I'm unsure or in peoples attics, but thankfully I've not encountered any asbestos yet.

My gut feeling, based on the age of the property is it's a wooden board, haven't had an up close look yet. Suffice to say, if it's asbestos I shall be walking away.

My preferred method would be a tile vent, but I'm too much of a scaredie cat as far as getting on a roof ladder is concerned, and whilst I have fitted Velux windows from the inside by pulling the tiles out before, I'm not confident enough to try that on a customers house. But now I think about it, I do know a roofer who may be able to help me.
 
Out through the wall or roof for me. You'll probably struggle to get the ducting down to a vent in the soffit anyway. Least time spent in a loft the better IMO. Always, give the number of my friendly roof bloke to the customer, to arrange between themselves, 'I'll be back when he's done'. :)
 
I will third the suggestion for a tile vent, or through the wall. Most soffits I come across are nearly beyond reach laid down in a loft space, and lots have a gap smaller than the required 100mm between the roof space and soffit space.
 
Always through the wall or tile, i have seen so many damp patches/mould growth on walls and ceilings in the nearest room to where the soffit vent is fitted.
 
I think if you are thinking of Working At Height, you are subject to WAHR regs. So you could not just put up a ladder and pop up with a core drill and hey presto! You would need a tower, and need to be competent to erect and tag it as safe. As above defo get a builder in then all those headaches and cost go away.
 
Hi,you would need to know the type of eave,to match any fitting kit. Some older properties,have close coupled,or collared ceiling,where access for work,insulation and fitments,is not possible.

Some folk say soffit,when they really mean fascia or barge board,the overhang,determining the size of the soffit.

Sometimes,the only way of achieving a quality fit,is by stripping back some tile/slate,and doing it correctly.

This is really a competent roofers task,if you have no experience. Some poor roofs leak,but the ingress makes it's way down the sarking or underfelt,so they never get a damp ceiling....till the spark fits a vent;)

A neighbour had a fancy bathroom fitted,9 Grand,and the spark cored from the inside,half-way up the fascia. This left half a hole on the exterior brickwork,which he siliconed half a vent plate on,and the fan vents straight into his cavity.

He asked my opinion,and i told him it was the SECOND cavity,his contractors had invaded :eek:
 
Thanks for the info guys. I was heading towards the soffit vent because I've already encountered a couple of customers where they've had roof vents and the duct had been turned into a giant u-bend with stinky water from the vent (admittedly these were just soil pipe type straight stacks) and condensation. But I guess the installers had never heard of a condensation trap.

But the comments about damp caused by the vent, yeah, a concern also and of course the chances of blow back into the existing vents or the actual bathroom window. I did get a look at the space between the wall cap and the tiles and granted it would be tight for a round duct but was looking at using the rectangular ducting, but of course that raises the question of whether there is room for a converter.

As for using a core drill at the top of a ladder... there is a wall I could go through, but access from the outside is an issue as it's a fairly typical newer build with limited space so that would need access onto the neighbours grounds. And well, yes whilst I'm fairly happy with a quick jaunt up a ladder for say a floodlight or bellbox, drilling a honking great hole in the wall at that height is not something I'd be happy doing without proper access arrangements.

Time to find my friendly roofer I think :)
 
I tend to drill me core holes from the inside, bit difficult (& dangerous from top of ladder). As for condensation, as most of my domestic stuff is under 3 metres, never seemed to have a problem, or you can always use insulated ducting.

Or you could do this, as I recently observed;

View attachment 35583
 
I think if you are thinking of Working At Height, you are subject to WAHR regs. So you could not just put up a ladder and pop up with a core drill and hey presto! You would need a tower, and need to be competent to erect and tag it as safe. As above defo get a builder in then all those headaches and cost go away.

Or simply drill it from the inside......
 
If I had a core drill, I may consider it, but still getting up there to attach a vent would be a nightmare. Am going for the 'get a roofer in' approach, at least then it's not my problem if it leaks :)
 
If you can get a soffit vent in and keep the ducting run nice and straight it will be fine,[I generally just use a standard 4" grille in the colour to match the soffit] but use a high power inline fan mounted in the loft not a silly standard surface mounted 4" one, they're only any good straight through a wall - I've seen these fitted with longish flexi ducting runs and the ducting sags and holds a scary amount of water.
 

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