Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Installing Exhaust Fans for Bathrooms

Our fixer-upper we bought has no exhaust fans in the bathrooms (I know, I thought that was kind of required). So, I need to install exhaust fans in both bathrooms. They are on top of each other in the layout of the townhome, so I was thinking maybe I could link the exhaust piping together from both bathrooms and have it come out at the same point. I don't even know where to begin at this point. I know I have to work the piping through the walls. Do I use the same stuff as for the dryer vent? Where can I even buy exhaust fans? Any pointers would be a great help. Also, let me know if the linking thing is a good idea or if I'm just a crazy person who doesn't know what their doing. Thanks!

An exhaust fan is generally not "required" in a bathroom that has a window. I personally don't agree with that.

You can buy exhaust fans at any decent home improvement store (Lowe's, Eagle, Home Depot, etc.). What you buy depends on the square footage of the bathroom and how quiet you want it to be. They are not very expensive.

Dryers use a 4-inch vent, while bathroom fans usually use 3-inch. Other than that, it's the same material. Do NOT use the white plastic flexible stuff - it's no longer legal for dryers and I wouldn't use it for a vent fan either. It deteriorates too easily.

I don't think code allows you to connect the vents from two bathrooms together.

The two fans on one line question has been posted here several times. I don't know about code restrictions, but the concensus seemed to be that it's not a very good idea.

The biggest problem is that if you are running one fan at a time you will probably just vent from bath to bath although an in line damper might help solve this.

I believe the code requirement is that a bath must have a means of ventilation other than an entry door. A window leading outside meets the requirement so if your baths have windows you are OK per the code. IMO in cold climes bathroom windows tend to stay shut especially during the time of year when ventilation is important.

I'm no expert but we are also in the process of putting fans in our bathrooms.

We have no windows too, so ventilation is needed.

Anyway the ones that are in now are making a lot of racket so I think they are old and need to go.

I'll be heading to Home Depot hoping they have them in stock.

I have had great luck with panasonic fans. They are very quiet, effective, and energy efficient. I have not seen them at Lowes or HD, but an online search should reveal a source, and more info about them

There is a fan system from Fantech(should be a website), that uses one fan motor, usually mounted in the attic, with ducts to more than one bathroom, and wired to work from either room. You can use the fan from one or multiple rooms at the same time. If you elect to have fans in each room with a duct from each into a Y with a common damper, you can only use one fan at a time. Without a damper, you may be blowing odors to the other room.