I recently had a ceiling bathroom exhaust fan installed and it is time
to install the vent duct. I don't want it to exhaust into the attic so
would prefer to have it exit the house via under the soffit. (Cutting
through the roof is a no-go and there is no other surface available.)

I plan to run the duct right to the soffit inside the same joists that
the fan is in. This would place the soffit vent outside the bathroom
window. There really isn't any clearance to put it anywhere else.

Are there any restrictions/codes that would prevent a soffit vent from
being installed outside the bathroom window? Since I don't open the
top half of the double hung window there is almost no possibility of the
exhaust re-entering the house through the window.

Also what is a good product to use for the soffit vent? I want
something white, mostly flush, and with a back draft flap although my
Panasonic fan also includes another snap.

Thanks!

On Mar 17, 4:29*pm, Marissa Taylor wrote:
I recently had a ceiling bathroom exhaust fan installed and it is time
to install the vent duct. *I don't want it to exhaust into the attic so
would prefer to have it exit the house via under the soffit. *(Cutting
through the roof is a no-go and there is no other surface available.)

Why? It's done all the time very successfully. Would it be visible
from the street?


I plan to run the duct right to the soffit inside the same joists that
the fan is in. *This would place the soffit vent outside the bathroom
window. *There really isn't any clearance to put it anywhere else.

Are there any restrictions/codes that would prevent a soffit vent from
being installed outside the bathroom window?

snip

What did city hall say when you asked them? They have the code books
right at their desk.

Also what is a good product to use for the soffit vent? *I want
something white, mostly flush, and with a back draft flap although my
Panasonic fan also includes another snap.

There are many choices in vinyl and aluminum. Lumber yards, box stores
come to mind. Look for possibolities in the dryer vent section. IIRC,
the sizes are both 4".

Joe

Are there any restrictions/codes that would prevent a soffit vent
from being installed outside the bathroom window? Since I don't
open the top half of the double hung window there is almost no
possibility of the exhaust re-entering the house through the window.

Some areas, Dallas for instance, prohibit soffit openings within four
feet of windows or doors. In case of a fire, this keeps flames from
going directly into the attic. I hear that California prohibits soffit
openings completely, at least in some areas, because of brush fires. I
hear they allow them with special self-closing louvers.

Check with the code office.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA

Marissa Taylor wrote:
I recently had a ceiling bathroom exhaust fan installed and it is time
to install the vent duct. I don't want it to exhaust into the attic
so would prefer to have it exit the house via under the soffit. (Cutting
through the roof is a no-go and there is no other surface
available.)
I plan to run the duct right to the soffit inside the same joists that
the fan is in. This would place the soffit vent outside the bathroom
window. There really isn't any clearance to put it anywhere else.

Are there any restrictions/codes that would prevent a soffit vent from
being installed outside the bathroom window? Since I don't open the
top half of the double hung window there is almost no possibility of
the exhaust re-entering the house through the window.

Also what is a good product to use for the soffit vent? I want
something white, mostly flush, and with a back draft flap although my
Panasonic fan also includes another snap.


I'll bet the reason your bathroom didn't COME with a vent is probably
because it has a window! My house has two baths - one abuts the exterior
wall and one in the center of the house. The center bath has an exhaust fan;
the other has a window and no fan.

That said, since you'll probably not have both the window open and the fan
on simultaneously, I can't see what difference it makes for ventilation
purposes. Fire safety and appeasing the troglodytes in the city permit
department are other considerations.

And, yes, there are self-closing soffit vents. Here's one:

http://shop.dryerbox.com/s.nl/it.A/id.185/.f