Bath fan ducted to soffit ?

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ritelec

ritelec

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Jersey
Home inspector report 2nd floor bath fans not ducted outside.
This 1.5 million dollar home has 5 second floor bath fans where the ducting is routed into the soffit (eaves) that has the perforation soffit material. Looks like the house was built in 2002. Does anyone know if this was permitted at that time ??
 
I believe under the 2012 Virginia residential code the bathroom fans can be ducted to the roof, an outside wall, or the soffit. If ducted to the soffit, you must use a soffit vent that connects to the ductwork.

The answer you seek is under your state's building code. it is also not your problem as the ductwork is not part of the electrical installation
 
Looks like 2006 and earlier it wasn't required to go to the exterior.


From https://inspectapedia.com/ventilation/Bathroom_Ventilation.php



2006 ICC Ventilation Code, Chapter 4, Ventilation
The U.S. state of Virginia adopted the ICC model ventilation code that we cite here.

Required Bathroom vent fan ventilation rate in CFM
This ventilation code specifies a bathroom exhaust airflow rate for toilet rooms and bathrooms (not served by a window of adequate size) of

25 or 50 cfm/ft for hotels, motels, resorts and dormitories, and a slightly more modest 20 / 50 cfm for private dwellings.

Rates are per room unless otherwise indicated.

The higher rate shall be provided where the exhaust system is designed to operate intermittently.

The lower rate shall be permitted where the exhaust system is designed to operate continuously during normal hours of use. - [Table 403.3, Minimum Ventilation Rates]

This model ventilation code also specifies that the ventilation system

Exhaust openings shall have a minimum and maximum size in louvers, grilles and screens, measured in any direction of not less than 1/4" and not more than 1/2"

Intake openings in residential occupancies shall be not less than 1/4" and not more than 1/2"

Intake openings in other than residential occupancies shall be not less than 1/4" and not more than 1" - [Table 401.5, Opening Sizes in Louvers, Grilles and Screens Protecting Outdoor Exhaust and Air Intake Openings]

ICC & Virginia Mechanical Code, Section 401, Ventilation, 2006 [PDF] retrieved 2016/09/12, original source: http://www2.iccsafe.org/states/virginia/Mechanical/PDFs/Chapter 4_Ventilation.pdf

2015, 2009 & 2006 IRC Bathroom Ventilation Code Section R303.3
Where no window: 20 cfm continuous, 50 cfm intermittent, vent to building exterior
The 2006 (or later) International Residential Code IRC R303.3 Bathroom Ventilation - requires that

when natural ventilation requirements (3 sq ft of windows 50% operable) can't be met,

the bath should be vented by either a 20 cfm continuous vent fan or a 50 cfm vent fan that is intermittent (or switched).

Exhausting of the bath vent fan must indeed be to the building exterior.

Exhaust Air from toilet rooms and bathrooms shall not discharge into attic, crawl space or other areas inside building.

See BATHROOM VENT DUCT TERMINATION for details about how to terminate the bath exhaust vent duct.
 
OK Thank you.....
Yes I've also been looking...
international mechanical code 2006 (residential) M1506.2 Like in the NEC when there's something new theres a bar running down next to it, theres a bar that says "shall be exhausted directly to the outdoors. Exhaust air from bathrooms and toilets shall not discharge into an attic, crawl space or other areas inside the building".

Trying to look pre that to find before the bar.

Found M1505.1 from 2000. It mentions certain areas but no bath. It says where duct construction is not mentioned in this chapter, it shall comply with chapter 16. which really says nothing about bathe exhaust venting.

Couldn't find 2002............. Found a 2003 but it's International Mechanical Code, and does not say "residential" and has nothing about bath exhaust fans...........

Like you mentioned..... maybe 2000 thru 2005 it was not required to be vented directly to the outdoors.

(thinking also, this houses electrical service has 2002 on the sticker.. the plans may have been approved in 2000 and maybe direct ducting out wasn't required. Would that then possibly fall into the "grand fathered in")
 
ritelec said:
OK Thank you.....
Like in the NEC when there's something new theres a bar running down next to it,
Click to expand...

correction......... new stuff is now shaded. I think there was a time with the bar down vertically next to new parts..


as you were.
 
ritelec said:
OK Thank you.....
Yes I've also been looking...
international mechanical code 2006 (residential) M1506.2 Like in the NEC when there's something new theres a bar running down next to it, theres a bar that says "shall be exhausted directly to the outdoors. Exhaust air from bathrooms and toilets shall not discharge into an attic, crawl space or other areas inside the building".

Trying to look pre that to find before the bar.

Found M1505.1 from 2000. It mentions certain areas but no bath. It says where duct construction is not mentioned in this chapter, it shall comply with chapter 16. which really says nothing about bathe exhaust venting.

Couldn't find 2002............. Found a 2003 but it's International Mechanical Code, and does not say "residential" and has nothing about bath exhaust fans...........

Like you mentioned..... maybe 2000 thru 2005 it was not required to be vented directly to the outdoors.

(thinking also, this houses electrical service has 2002 on the sticker.. the plans may have been approved in 2000 and maybe direct ducting out wasn't required. Would that then possibly fall into the "grand fathered in")
Click to expand...

I'm confused; the model IMC code section 15 is referenced standards for all editions. The model IRC has what you point to, but there is no M1506.2. The information you present is in M1507.
 
????? 2006 and 2000. also ICC reference in 2002 which I couldn't find the IMC (residential)
 

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ritelec said:
????? 2006 and 2000. also ICC reference in 2002 which I couldn't find the IMC (residential)
Click to expand...

Naughty boy! You didn't say you were using the NJ edition. Take a reeeeeeal close look at your first image. Note the section heading. It's "1507". There's an error further down where they go from 1507.1 to 1506.2
 
Oooooh. I see that error now. Thought it was 06.2. Thank you for pointing that out.

I'll go back through my history to see where I found that but Jetsey has s different "national" code.

And back to the question. Do you think from 2000 to 2002 ducting to soffit was permissible ?

As mentioned all those fans in that type of house should have gotten knocked down if not.

If it was standard practice do you think it's grandfathered ??

Thank you
 
Here, you can duct to the soffits, however the ductwork must be connected to a soffit vent, and not rely on the vent holes in the vinyl siding. running the vent pipe out to the soffit, leaving it unterminated in the eve is the same as venting to the attic (against code here for a long time )
 
JFletcher said:
Here, you can duct to the soffits, however the ductwork must be connected to a soffit vent, and not rely on the vent holes in the vinyl siding. running the vent pipe out to the soffit, leaving it unterminated in the eve is the same as venting to the attic (against code here for a long time )
Click to expand...

I agree, it should have a louver of some sort at the soffit.
 
I'm told , and told by my contractors insurance provider, that i'm not insured to do any roof penetrations

As such , 'venting' becomes problematic , and is excluded in my bids

~RJ~
 
romex jockey said:
I'm told , and told by my contractors insurance provider, that i'm not insured to do any roof penetrations

As such , 'venting' becomes problematic , and is excluded in my bids

~RJ~
Click to expand...

But a soffit vent wouldn't be a roof penetration. More technically like a wall penetration. You do those, don't you?
 
gadfly56 said:
But a soffit vent wouldn't be a roof penetration. More technically like a wall penetration. You do those, don't you?
Click to expand...

I'm sure he does, but his reply was excellent none the less.

assuming any roof penetration is done correctly, that is usually the shortest and fastest way to route ductwork. In my experiences, there is often not enough room between the roof sheathing and the board that catches all of the birds eyes of the rafters to get even a 4in duct to the soffit.
 
JFletcher said:
I'm sure he does, but his reply was excellent none the less.

assuming any roof penetration is done correctly, that is usually the shortest and fastest way to route ductwork. In my experiences, there is often not enough room between the roof sheathing and the board that catches all of the birds eyes of the rafters to get even a 4in duct to the soffit.
Click to expand...

Well that's certainly a consideration. I've seen some soffit overhangs that went out a foot or even two, others as you say, barely enough to seat the notch.
 
JFletcher said:
In my experiences, there is often not enough room between the roof sheathing and the board that catches all of the birds eyes of the rafters to get even a 4in duct to the soffit.
Click to expand...

Not only that but once you have the vent mounted then you need enough room to connect the ducting to the soffit vent ( get both hands in there ) and there really isn't room for that.

Roof vents are the easiest to connect to and roofers install those all the time, they just don't do them for free.
 
romex jockey said:
I'm told , and told by my contractors insurance provider, that i'm not insured to do any roof penetrations

As such , 'venting' becomes problematic , and is excluded in my bids

~RJ~
Click to expand...

In my opinion roofers have to eat to and this is a good job for them. They are insured for this type of work.

If the homeowner wants to hire a handyman to install the vents that OK with me so long as it's done by others.
 
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