Almost every home maintenance blog you come across will list the importance of cleaning things like your gutters and fireplace but many miss a hidden danger that is in every home. Although you may not think about it, your bathroom exhaust fan can pose a risk and spark a fire as it is an electrical appliance built into the ceiling of your bathrooms.

We want to share some tips on how to clean and reduce the risk of having a bathroom fan fire.

Always remove the vent screen to get rid of dust build up or any mold, which may have started growing. The proper procedure after safely removing it is by submerging it in warm soapy water with bleach. Once this is completed, let it air dry while you clean the air duct.

More often than not, the air duct collects more dust and buildup then the actual vent screen, which does not allow the fan to have max airflow and causes the motor to overheat, posing a fire risk.

Pay attention to things like potential wires that may be loose or details such as screws that may need to be tightened to prevent rattling or falling out and interfering with the fan.

You may want to install a timer to reduce the risk of a fire as leaving the fan on for hours can cause the motor to overheat. Our suggestion is to limit fan usage to 20 minutes or less and only turn on when truly necessary.

In addition, hiring a licensed electrician is a good idea if you are not familiar with the installation or inner components of the bathroom exhaust.

We hope this will keep your family and home safe from this forgotten about danger.

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