We would like to install an exhaust fan in our bathroom to remove excess moisture but do not have an attic to vent it through. Can we install it in an outside wall instead, or are there vent fans available that don’t need an outside vent? -Barb

Hi Barb,

Wall mounted vent fans are available, though they’re not as common as ceiling mounted models and may be more difficult to install, especially if you have a brick veneer house. There are ductless vent fans that use a charcoal filter to remove odors, but they do not remove excess moisture, which is the main purpose of a bathroom vent fan. To remove excess moisture from your bathroom, the fan needs to vent outside.

Since a bathroom vent fan should run for 10-15 minutes after you finish your shower to remove all the moisture, consider a fan that cuts on and off automatically using a moisture sensor or replace the wall switch with a timer.

Good luck with your project,

Further Information

How to Size a Bathroom Vent Fan
Not Your Old Bath Fan
How to Maintain a Bathroom Vent Fan (video)

Tags: , bathroom vent fan, remove moisture