Bathroom vent weirdness/installation

[atgcpaul]

We have a noisy vent fan over our toilet/shower area and it doesn't draw
well. The fan is less than 2' from the back wall of the house (facing West)
but the builder's installed the exhaust port and duct 20' to the side of the
house (facing North). When the fan is on, the flaps on the port don't even
open.

So the plan is to install a more powerful, quieter fan in its place--probably a
Panasonic--vented to the rear of the house.

Why did the builder's install the exhaust so far away when it would have
been just as easy, cheaper, and more efficient to install the port just 2'
away? There is nothing in the way in the attic. All of our exhausts (guest
bath, powder room, kitchen exhaust, and dryer vent are on the North side of
the house. Were they trying to stay consistent? The kitchen is right below
the bathroom. Why didn't they exhaust to the back of the house there, too?

The only practical reason is that the exhaust air could be drawn back into the
house because there's a window in the kitchen and bath. However, where
both of them exhaust now, there's a family room window and a bedroom
window right below.

I'll probably leave the old bath exhaust port where it is and back it up with some wire mesh if some isn't already there.

Am I not thinking straight here?

Thanks for your input,
Paul

[JimD]

I know of no reason unless the North side of the house is less visible. A cosmetic reason, in other words. If you don't mind the appearance, you could just to the closest side of the house. Regulations on vents for moisture control are not normally any big code issue. They like you to either have a powered vent or a window but normally both are not required.

Jim

[just started]

Check on the local building codes, there might be some type of regulation about distance from the property line for a fan vent. You wouldn't believe some of the stupid things some of these local codes contain.

[LCHIEN]

noisy and not blowing the flaps open may indicate its blocked.... bird nest or something???

[atgcpaul]

Check on the local building codes, there might be some type of regulation about distance from the property line for a fan vent. You wouldn't believe some of the stupid things some of these local codes contain.

That's a good point. You woulnd't know it from looking at our property, but
the neighbor's yard starts <6' in back of ours--where this bathroom is. Her
house, however, is more than 30' away. If she doesn't raise a "stink"--
couldn't help myself--I'm going to just do it. If we ever sell this house and
the inspector actually notices, I'll connect it to the other vent.

noisy and not blowing the flaps open may indicate its blocked.... bird nest or something???

Possible nest but all the fans are noisy and I know they're not all blocked--
just cheap. I think noisy fans serve a purpose, though. They don't let
passers by really know what's going on in the bathroom.

Thanks,
Paul