Bathroom vent flap making a lot of noise when windy - took video - suggestions?


  #1  
Old 02-08-17, 04:39 PM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: USA
Posts: 11
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Question Bathroom vent flap making a lot of noise when windy - took video - suggestions?

Hello,
All of the vents in the bathrooms of the entire house make a lot of noise when its windy outside, which is supposedly very common.

However, this noise echoes throughout the entire house, and I definitely can't get used to the sound, so I want to come up with a solution.

Here is a video of where the noise is coming from: All I did was remove the vent fan in the bathroom to expose this:
https://goo.gl/photos/rCi3wFULUQeRbGh7A What do you think might be a good way to quiet this thing down? I was thinking of adding a small weight to the bottom of the vent flap (sandwhich a magnet to it?) to maybe try and hold it down better, but I am not sure. Whatever I try, it can't be held down too much or it won't open when I turn the vent fan on.

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated, thanks!
 
  #2  
Old 02-08-17, 04:42 PM
Norm201's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 10,956
Received 721 Upvotes on 640 Posts
I have the same problem. But my noise is at the roof pipe vent. The opening faces the wind side. I thought about putting a very weak spring. I just got use to it. Not worth the hassle of try to fool with it.
 
  #3  
Old 02-09-17, 09:14 AM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: USA
Posts: 11
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
This is definitely too loud and too frequent to ever get used to.

I uploaded 2 photos showing how its vented outside. I believe the vents to be the shiny silver boxy ones:
 
Attached Images   
  #4  
Old 02-09-17, 11:13 AM
Norm201's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 10,956
Received 721 Upvotes on 640 Posts
I don't think so. The one on the far left is most likely the bathroom fan vent, but the picture is hard to see detail. Those others are roof/attic vents.
 
  #5  
Old 02-09-17, 11:16 AM
S
Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Canada
Posts: 21
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Putting a magnet on may cause recir of the humidity from the vent. You are probably better of putting a stick on felt pad on the flap itself so that when it does bang, it is more muffled. Easier fix, should not interrupt the air flow
 
  #6  
Old 02-09-17, 12:05 PM
czizzi's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 6,541
Received 15 Upvotes on 13 Posts
Bathroom ceiling fans are supposed to have a damper on the unit itself. If your damper is on the roof vent that would be part of the cause.
 
  #7  
Old 02-09-17, 12:35 PM
Norm201's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 10,956
Received 721 Upvotes on 640 Posts
Czizzi is correct. That is my problem. The roof vent has a flap facing the weather side.
 
  #8  
Old 02-09-17, 12:43 PM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,061
Received 1,910 Upvotes on 1,716 Posts
This is probably as simple as putting a couple rubber bumpers on the corners of the roof flapper. The round kind like what's on the back of a cabinet door.
 
  #9  
Old 02-09-17, 05:01 PM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: USA
Posts: 11
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Exactly. It is the bathroom fan vent.

The bathroom fan vents are what is making the noise... not anything on the roof. The video I took is of the bathroom fan vent.
 
  #10  
Old 02-09-17, 05:55 PM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,061
Received 1,910 Upvotes on 1,716 Posts
At the risk of being redundant... put a rubber bumper on the flapper.
 
  #11  
Old 02-22-17, 09:19 AM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: USA
Posts: 11
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
So I contacted the builder, and they said its normal for them to flap like that in the wind and there isn't anything else they can do with them.

Wouldn't a rubber bumper prevent it from closing all the way?
 
  #12  
Old 02-22-17, 09:34 AM
Norm201's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 10,956
Received 721 Upvotes on 640 Posts
Yes. If you must stick a piece of felt under the flap. It won't last forever. You'll need to replace t every year or so.
 
  #13  
Old 02-24-17, 04:44 PM
Houston204's Avatar
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Texas
Posts: 6,521
Received 94 Upvotes on 87 Posts
I usually install a 5C523 backdraft damper in the duct between the vent and the outlet. The damper should be installed in a vertical section of the 4 inch duct.

I usually only need a pocket knife and some foil tape to install the damper since the duct is usually only thin aluminum.
 
  #14  
Old 02-25-17, 11:06 AM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: USA
Posts: 11
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Do you remove the flapper that's next to the vent motor and then install this flap/damper? Or do you leave the other one in place and add an additional flap/damper?
 
  #15  
Old 02-25-17, 01:05 PM
Houston204's Avatar
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Texas
Posts: 6,521
Received 94 Upvotes on 87 Posts
I leave the existing damper in place.

The backdraft dampers at Grainger come in even numbers. The most common size is the 4 inch 5C523. It is spring closed and has a gasket but it must be installed vertically so that gravity helps it close.

Install it in the vent duct in the attic.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: