Index
How To Clean And Oil A Bathroom Fan
All you need to clean and oil a bathroom fan, is some oil, small paint brush, vacuum cleaner, screwdriver and some cleaning solution. Do the job now and save yourself a large bill later.
The average man or woman can maintain the bathroom fans. It is very important not to
leave a noisey exhaust fan too long, as this is an indication that there is no lubrication and
extreme wear is taking place! Very few tools are required to perform the task. It only takes
about a half hour to remove the fan, clean and replace it. The time spent now can save you a
couple hundred dollars later and may prevent a fire.
How To Maintain Bathroom Fans
Bathroom fan require maintenance about once a year. Bathroom exhaust fans pick up dust, lint and any other debris that happens to be in the air. As the motor gets covered with dust and grime, the motor may not cool properly, resulting in overheating, destroying any lubricating oil. Without oil, the motor will seize up and result in noise, smoke and a possible fire. Bathroom fan maintenance is overlooked by most people. When the motor quits or starts making a lot of noise, it really needs to be oiled. If you wait too long the motor may wear beyond repair.
To start a maintenance, make sure the power is turned off. Turn the power off at the breaker panel. Next remove the fan grill; usually one thumb nail screw holds it in place. You may have to pry the cover loose from the ceiling, if it hasn't been removed in a long time and has become "painted in", run a sharp knife around the edge of the grill; this will reduce any large chips of paint coming off the ceiling, along with the grill.
The motor and fan is attached to a metal bracket and you can remove the motor and fan with the bracket as an assembly. Remove the one or two metal screws holding the metal bracket in place; swing out the fan assembly and unplug the fan from the receptacle or disconnect the wires if it is “hardwired”.
Place the motor and fan on an old towel or something suitable to work on. Brush all the loose dirt with a small paint brush, then use a vacuum cleaner to suck out as much dust and grime as you can. Use a DAMP rag with a cleaning solution, such as Mr. Clean and wipe the fan blades and motor exterior clean.
Place a couple drops of number 30 oil on each end of the motor shaft. Some motors have oil holes for oiling. on others you may have to separate the motor to get at the one end. Two long bolts hold it together. When oiled, spin the fan blades by hand; wipe off any excess oil with a cloth. Use a brush and vacuum cleaner on the ceiling enclosure to remove the dust and grime.
Reassemble the unit, place it back into its closure, connect the power wires and replace the ceiling cover. Turn the electrical breaker switch on at the main power panel and test the bathroom fan. The fan should be functioning quietly. You have just completed the maintenance on your bathroom fan and saved yourself some money and peace of mind.
Another reason to keep up the maintenance; a newer fan assembly may use a different type of fan motor and not fit into the old ceiling fan enclosure box. In that case, the complete fan assembly, including the enclosure box and fan motor would need to be replaced, resulting in more time and expense. Replacing the entire enclosure means that you may have to work up in the attic among all the insulation. Removing the enclosure causes insulation to drop down into the bathroom, resulting in a bigger cleanup. Remember a drop of oil in time saves money and time.
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Clean and oil the bathroom fan once a year to keep it in tip-top shape.