DIYbanter - View Single Post - Replacing Bathroom Ceiling Fan/light on bottom floor

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"krw" ...
...
Rich Greenberg :

snip

I would start by cutting the wallboard around the old unit to get maybe
a 1/4" clearance all around. Make sure the power is off, then unscrew
the mounting screws or use a reciprocating saw to cut the nails holding
it to the rafters. Then pull it out. If the new unit is the same size
the new faceplate should cover the 1/4" gap around the edges. I did
this is an old bathroom once.

Take a Dremmel tool to the nail heads if they can't be pulled from
inside the box.

On the other hand, cutting out to the full width between rafters and
a few inches on either side gives you an easy patch job with the
rafters
being available to attach the new wallboard to.

Yes, or one can just put some 1x's behind the wallboard patch.

I've also replaced the guts of an old fan unit with the new one, but
it has to be the same make and model to work.

Which might be hard to come by several years later.

Thanks guys. Yep, this is the type of fixture I am talking about.
Getting the nails out was my big concern here. Using the dremel or a thin
bladed say to cut the nails is what I will try. It ought to just drop
down then - or actually slide sideways first to disconnect the duct.
Hmmm - I might need to cut a bit for the duct flange? Bummer that then.
Thanks a heap!
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