How Your Bathroom Exhaust Fan Affects Your Air Conditioner
Your bathroom exhaust fan removes excess moisture from your bathroom. This is a very useful feature if you're trying to cut down on the amount of moisture and mold in your bathroom and if you are trying to remove odors. However, a bathroom exhaust fan can also have an impact on your air conditioning bill.
Why Exhaust Fans are So Important
If you do not have a bathroom exhaust fan, your bathroom might not be as safe as it would otherwise be. For example, you will likely have more contaminants in your bathroom that will contribute to the spread of pathogens. Also, if you have a bathroom mirror that often fogs up, the best way to prevent this is to keep the bathroom exhaust going. It's difficult to have a comfortable home without an exhaust fan.
Buy the Right Exhaust System
Not all bathroom exhaust fans are created equally. Some are loud and inefficient, which can lead to your bathroom exhaust fan becoming more expensive to use. For this reason, you'll want to choose a fan that is EnergyStar rated.
Don't Run It for Too Long
But regardless of the type of exhaust fan you use, do not use the fan anymore than you need to. The fan does not need to run any longer than an hour after you have taken a shower. If you leave the exhaust fan running for longer, it can potentially empty your whole house of the conditioned air. In other words, the air conditioner will be conditioning the outside of your house while doing very little to make your home comfortable.
If you're not careful about your air conditioning bill, you might create a situation where your AC bill is much higher than it would otherwise be. Also, the excessive use of the exhaust fan can force your AC to work so hard that it wears out prematurely. For this reason, it's important to only use the exhaust fan when necessary.
Ask an HVAC Contractor for Help
Fortunately, HVAC contractors can not only help you with your air conditioner, but can also help you with your exhaust fan. Oftentimes, the exhaust fan is not doing its job because the fan is not large enough. Also, exhaust vents can become clogged with debris just like any other vent. Therefore, when you are having an air conditioner installed or serviced, you should also ask the HVAC contractor if he or she can inspect your exhaust fan.
Contact a company like Environmental Matters HVAC LLC to learn more.