Replace bath fan motor instead of whole fixture or pricey motor assembly My Bath Fan Died and I Felt the Need to Vent
The problem:
The motor in my bath fan with infrared heater combo unit died, and I found the very idea of having to go into the attic to replace the fixture exhausting!
I hate the attic because it is so shallow that the roof becomes a hazard with all the nails poking through from the shingles. On top of that, there’s the itchy insulation. For me, going into the attic feels like Siberia in the winter, and Death Valley is more comfortable in the summer.
When my fan died, I thought the motor was riveted in and I’d have to replace the whole fixture. Locally, no one carries a bath fan with bulb heater fixture in stock – not Home Depot, Lowes, Ace, etc. If I went with a different type of fixture that was in stock, I’d have to modify the cutout in the ceiling and rewire the electrical.
Who wants that much hassle and expense? I have enough to do, and I certainly don’t need any more holes in my head from going into the attic!
Then I discovered the motors are screwed in and can be replaced! That was great news, but the motor assembly (with the fan blade) cost as much as a whole new fixture. Now what?
I knew the inside of my attic reminded me of something I’d seen before…
The solution:
It seemed ridiculous to pay so much for a complete motor assembly, and they’re not readily available. So, I purchased a generic (well reviewed) motor on Amazon for about $20 instead. There is a link below.
All I had to do was switch out the squirrel-cage fan and the mounting bracket and reinstall.
It was an easy job, and the best part is, I didn’t even have to venture into my torture chamber attic!
Save yourself some time and the headache (from the nails in attic) and try this simple fix if your bath fan has seen better days.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, I may earn a small commission on items bought using them. These are the same recommendations I would make regardless of any compensation. For products that I have older versions of, I recommend the items that I would replace them with if I were buying them new.
Resources for Bath Fan Replacement Motor
There are more DIY projects in the works, so stay tuned to Uncharted DIY. Feel free to comment, post photos or ask questions about this project.
