Exhaust Fan Motor Replacement

Old fan in ceiling

As I mentioned in this post, exhaust fans throughout the house are on the To Do list in a big way. We have four, one of which doesn't have attic access and another that is being completely removed and replaced with a regular ceiling light.

The one that doesn't have attic access is the one in the downstairs bathroom and I would have to say the loudest of the bunch which is the main reason it needed to be changed out. I figured out how to remove the motor and fan plate and then started my quest to find a new motor and fan so that I wouldn't have to replace the entire housing (which would mean cutting, patching and re-texturing drywall).

Housing after motor plate is out

Old motor and fan removed from plate

New motor and fan on cleaned up plate

After two DIY stores, I scored and found a replacement motor for our fan (and since we have this fan in three spots, I might be able to just replace motors there too). So I cleaned up the dusty fan, removed the old motor with two nuts, put in the new motor, added the fan, and then snapped the motor and fan plate back into the housing in the ceiling. Then plugged it in, and tested it.

New motor and fan with plate installed in housing

I am in the process of painting the cover (since finding a new cover that fits is not as easy as finding the motor and fan was), so I'll have to take another picture once the cover is back on.