how does an exhaust fan work

How does an exhaust fan work? Explained easily and scientifically.

Exhaust fans work on the basic principle of sucking hot air, smell, moisture and dust from the room and pushing it outside. All fans work on this principle but the main purpose of an exhaust fan is to suck hot air from your house and blow it out from the other side. The exhaust fan blades are attached to a hub and the fans are angled in a way that when it rotates, it sucks air from one side and throw it from another side.

The kitchen and bathrooms require removing hot and humid air from inside. Such places require exhaust fans the most. An exhaust fan takes out hot air and humidity but also takes out dust, foul smell, chemicals and fungal spores. Exhaust fans can get dirty and requires time to time cleanup to work at full efficiency.

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Scientific definition of how an exhaust fan work.

An electrically powered machine used to create airflow is known as a fan and an electrically powered machine used to create airflow and push air from another end is known as an exhaust fan. Exhaust fans are equipped with angled blades that are attached to a rotor and these blades act on the air to create a flow. The angle at which the blades are attached to the motor decides the direction of the flow of the air.

Angled blades of exhaust fan

Most exhaust fans come with 3 to 7 blades attached and the size and the number of blades decides the airflow of the exhaust fan.

An exhaust fan fans efficiency is rated in CFM. A simple example will help you understand the meaning of CFM and find the right CFM exhaust fan for your needs. If the bathroom size is 50 sq feet then a 50 CFM exhaust fan is considered the best. The best way to remember is 1 CFM per square foot of floor space. The bigger the space, the higher should be the CFM rating.

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Few exhaust fans come with a moveable shutter at back to protect dust and insects from coming in. Only some exhaust fans comes equipped with a shutter however you should ideally only look for exhaust fans with a shutter at back.

Exhaust fans can also be subdivided into two types.

Two types of exhaust fans.

1. Consumer exhaust fan.

2. Industrial Exhaust fan.

Consumer exhaust fans.

Consumer exhaust fans are usually small, consumes less electricity and are easy to maintain. These fans are usually fitted in bathrooms, kitchens and rooms of the house and the main purpose of these fans is to maintain clean air in the house and remove smell and moisture from the room attached in.

Industrial exhaust fans.

Industrial fans are bigger, consume a lot of power and are difficult to maintain. These fans are attached to warehouses and industries and commercial places. Industrial exhaust fans come in different shapes, sizes and forms but work on the same principle as a consumer exhaust fan. The main purpose of these fans is to maintain the temperature, moisture and humidity and remove foul smell.

Who actually needs an exhaust fan?

Everyone needs an exhaust fan at home. Rooms like kitchen, bathrooms and toilets need an exhaust fan the most. Exhaust fans can also be used to maintain proper ventilation in rooms. Houses in metropolitan cities are getting smaller and smaller and it’s hard to maintain proper ventilation in houses without an exhaust fan.

Washing clothes and cooking food creates moisture in the environment and a family consisting of 4 people can produce up to 15 litres of moisture every week. Exhaust fans are required to remove moisture and foul smell from your rooms.

Can exhaust fans cool a room?

Using an exhaust fan is beneficial in removing smell, moisture and heat from the room. Exhaust fans can remove heat from the rooms and keep the room cool. An exhaust fan is a great and cheap way to keep the environment cool up to a certain degree. Exhaust fans help push out air from the rooms. It is an efficient way of cooling the room however this is not the best.

The best way of cooling a room is by fitting an air conditioner in the room.

Does the exhaust fan remove dust?

Small dust particles floating in the air can be easily be removed. As exhaust fans remove small dust particles from the environment, they also get dirty and greasy from time to time. It is recommended to clean the exhaust fan at least once a year.

However, MyTechAdvisor does not recommend buying an exhaust fan just to remove dust.

Can exhaust fans be used as ventilation fan?

Ventilation fans intake and exhaust air out depending on your needs but an exhaust fan can just push out air from the room. An exhaust fan cannot bring fresh air into rooms.

The only difference between an exhaust fan and a ventilation fan is in the working of it. Choose one which suits best for you.

Benefits of an exhaust fan.

Benefits of an exhaust fan.

What are the benefits of an exhaust fan?

1. Removes smell and odour from rooms.

2. Removes small dust particles.

3. Cool the rooms.

4. Removes heat and moisture from rooms.

5. Help prevent the building of fungus.

6. Easy to maintain and clean.

7. Energy-efficient.

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