When a bathroom fan begins malfunctioning, it’s common to notice a change in how its air flows.
This occurs due to specific parts of the bathroom fan breaking down or not working as they are supposed to. As a result, you will have to figure out why a bathroom fan is blowing air the wrong way.
A common issue tends to involve the bathroom exhaust fan blowing air down.
A bathroom exhaust fan can start blowing air down when there is lint trapped inside the fan or the cover plate. It’s recommended to turn off the power, remove the cover plate, take out the fan, and wipe both with a dry cloth. You can also rinse the cover plate with water before re-installing it. This should help fix the issue.
Do not rush the process when you’re doing this.
Take your time and make sure the cover plate has been wiped with a dry cloth and then rinsed with water. This will ensure lint does not harm the airflow causing the bathroom exhaust fan to stop working properly.
This article will provide a step-by-step look at how to repair a bathroom exhaust fan that is blowing air down.
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Steps On How To Fix Bathroom Exhaust Fan Blowing Air Down
1. Turn Off The Power To Fan
If a bathroom exhaust fan is not pulling air then it’s time to look at what the underlying issue is.
A common problem involves the bathroom exhaust fan then blowing air down in the opposite direction. This can become frustrating when the idea of the exhaust fan is to keep the air quality healthy.
To begin working on the repair, you will have to turn off the power to the bathroom fan.
This is to ensure you don’t end up hurting yourself while removing the screws or the internal fan later on.
2. Remove Cover Plate & Fan
If the bathroom fan is not taking the steam out then it might be blowing air down.
This means you have to find a way to take the bathroom fan apart to see what’s going on. In most cases, a simple visual inspection will show where the problem lies.
It begins with the lint that is going to be trapped along the surface of the cover plate. You will notice it immediately.
Another issue tends to involve the internal components getting covered with dust or lint. You will have to clean both of them before turning the bathroom exhaust fan on again.
3. Wipe With Cloth
Once you have taken the parts off, you will then begin to wipe them off with a dry cloth.
Make sure the cloth you are using is dry, clean, and will take out the lint properly. Make sure to go through the nooks and crannies of the parts to make sure they are squeaky clean before re-installing them.
This can become a real issue with the internal fan because it is going to have small crevices that are harder to reach.
Take your time and do clean them with a dry cloth.
4. Rinse Cover Plate With Water
Now it is time to start using water to get rid of the dust that has settled on the cover plate.
You can simply put it in a bathroom sink and let it sit under the water for a few minutes. This should be more than enough to get rid of the lint on the bathroom exhaust fan’s plate.
You don’t want to use anything else to rinse the cover plate as that might damage it. Be gentle but make sure to get all of it.
5. Re-Install Fan & Cover Plate
The last step is to reinstall the parts that you have taken off.
This will ensure the bathroom exhaust fan is ready to go for a little bit of testing in the bathroom. Once everything is in place, you can turn the power back on and test the bathroom fan to see if it works or not.
It should now be working properly and not blowing air down.
Final Thoughts
These are the steps to follow if the bathroom exhaust fan is blowing air down.
A bathroom exhaust fan can blow air down when it is covered with lint. This lint can be found both on the cover plate and inside the fan itself. The best course of action is to take off the cover plate and fan before wiping them using a dry cloth.
This will ensure the bathroom fan looks clean and ends up working the way it is supposed to.
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