How to replace bathroom ceiling exhaust fan with no ducting?

kirscc

dear community,

we have an old CLICK bathroom ceiling exhaust fan (from 5~10 years ago) that no longer works.

we are hoping to find a replacement without adjusting the cutout size if possible.

as per below picture, inner frame is 265mm, fan size is 230mm and plastic grille is 323 mm in diameter.

we can also measure the outer metal round frame if required.

so far we have considered:

1. IXL 250mm White Eco Ventflo Exhaust Fan (cutout diameter 295mm)
2. IXL 250mm Ventflo Exhaust Fan (cutout diameter 290mm) much cheaper without IP rating
3. IXL 200mm White Eco Ventflo Exhaust Fan (cutout diameter 242mm)

our questions are:

1. what size of bathroom ceiling exhaust fan should we purchase (eg. IXL 200mm vs 250mm)? we are also open to other brands as long as it fits without making any adjustment to the cutout size.
2. should we remove the cotton-like material on the roof which can be seen through the cutout? we pulled out some thinking they are dust but seems like they are made of a different texture that need to be torn off or ripped off.
3. if we cannot find a matching fan size, is it easier to repair / clean the existing CLICK bathroom ceiling exhaust fan, assuming its fan motor has not worn out.
4. for bathroom exhaust fan with no ducting, is IXL a better brand than eg. Click, DETA, HPM, Arlec?

thank you so much for the kind assistance in advance.

JacobZ

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @kirscc, it is wonderful to have you with us.

Before you do anything, I should note that the "cotton-like material" is what is referred to as loose-fill insulation. Some older homes can contain loose-fill asbestos insulation, which is friable and can release fibres if disturbed. Australian asbestos safety guidance recommends that if you suspect loose-fill asbestos, you should not disturb it or enter/work in the ceiling space until it has been assessed. For that reason, I would strongly suggest you don't touch any more of the material before having it inspected by a licensed asbestos assessor. Further information can be found here - https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/safety-home/loose-fill-asbestos-insulation .

Once it is safe to proceed, I should note that there are strict requirements around electrical appliances installed in wet areas and there is no guarantee that your existing fan has a plug, so any work removing and replacing the fan must be carried out by a suitably licenced electrician.

I'd say you should avoid using anything with a smaller cutout than the current fan, but any reputable electrician would be perfectly capable of enlarging the hole slightly, so I'd be looking at fans with the same cutout size or slightly larger.

It is a bit difficult to get an accurate measurement for the cutout without removing the fan, but based on what I can see, your cutout is likely around 275-290mm. This is because the 265mm measurement that you've taken is taken from the inside of the plastic piece which physically sits through the cutout. Factoring in the thickness of the plastic, this gives me the 275-290mm estimate.

Either the https://www.bunnings.com.au/ixl-250mm-white-eco-ventflo-exhaust-fan_p0225573 or the https://www.bunnings.com.au/ixl-250mm-ventflo-exhaust-fan_p0174718 should work with a chance some slight modification would need to be made to the plaster.

Now, wet areas are divided into electrical zones which are relative to the distance from water sources. Different zones have different requirements. The IP rating is important if the exhaust fan sits directly over the shower, so I would suggest you confirm suitability with your electrician prior to purchase.

Any of the brands you have mentioned are good quality, however your electrician might have a preference. I would suggest you speak with your electrician prior to purchase. They may have a preferred brand that they like working with and would be happy to recommend to you.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob