I have recently purchased a 4 yr old 2-story home with a full basement. The plumbing is roughed in and the vent for the drain is stubbed out for me so I appear to be in good shape for finishing out the bathroom. However, I believe I am required by code to install an exhaust fan and need to find out how I should vent the fan since I am in the basement and there are two stories above to the roof. :confused:

Ceiling fan can be vented directly to the outside through the ceiling joist. It does not have to be vented through the roof.

Hello again Harold - not sure if you're still monitoring this one, but I have a question on your response: when you state "...directly outside thru the ceiling joist" do you mean drill a large hole in the joists and then through the side of the house to route the duct? I'm in somewhat of a similar situation, and was evaluating whether I needed to build a soffitt in the bathroom to run the duct just below the joists to get to the outside.

I had assumed large holes in the joists was a no-no (code in prince william apparently states the vent duct has to be min 4" diameter). Do you have any insight on this one?

Thanks in advance...

Dan

Never mind - I believe I found the answer in the plethora of questions on this site re: holes/notches in joists. I guess the rule of thumb for holes in joists is no more than 1/3 of the depth of the joist and not in the middle third of the joist.

Dontcha wish there was some kind of building code cliff notes? LOL!

Harold may or may not read this later but he did not mean to drill through the joist. He meant to go through the outside wall parallel and between the joists. You can safely drill the rim joist.

Bob is spot on. Cut hole through rim joist.

If necessary joist can be drilled.
Note that code says no notches in center 1/3, not holes.
The way I read this a 2x10 joist can be drilled with 3.33" hole.

P.S. Google says there is fire retardant caulking. DAP is one brand, didn't see any in Home Depot when I was there earlier today though.

Thanks guys - I really appreciate all of the info on this site

Bathrooms are particularly prone to moisture problems caused by high humidity. Heat and moisture combine to produce moisture-laden air that fills the room and, upon contacting cooler tile, walls, and ceilings, condenses, turning back into water.
This feeds mold, mildew, and even structural rot. To expel humid air before it has a chance to condense, every bathroom needs ventilation. In most cases, the best ventilation for a bathroom is an exhaust fan.

Though the bathrooms in most new homes are equipped with adequate bath fans, an older home is often either entirely without a fan or has one that is underpowered. When buying a new ventilation fan, be sure to check its rating for air movement, which is measured by cubic feet per minute (CFM). For an average-size bathroom, the minimal requirement is 80 CFM.

Replacing an existing fan with a new one is a relatively easy do-it-yourself project as long as the new unit will fit in the existing opening and can be connected to the existing exhaust duct.

Installing a new fan where there wasn't a fan before is more involved but often easiest if you place it where there is an existing ceiling light fixture. Before you install the fan housing, the job will require cutting a hole in the ceiling at the light fixture's location, snaking a vent pipe (or duct) from there to an exterior wall, penetrating the exterior wall for the vent, and adding a vent cap. For this job, purchase a fan that has a built-in light to replace the light you remove. If the ventwork is beyond your skill level, call in a contractor.

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