Performance Guarantees on exhausts.

6 years ago

This is something I wish we'd thought about for the contract in our new house - All shower, toilet and similar exhausts should perform at 80% of the rating of the blower unless otherwise specified.

We spec'd Fantech inline blowers & silencers for toilet & shower exhausts that aren't serviced by an ERV. All are completely silent which was the goal so that's good. Exhausting performance isn't so great though. Two shower exhausts w/ 180 CFM blowers measured below 75 actual performance. The best of these is 120

The 305 CFM in our master bath measures 128 actual so well below 50% and below the 220 minimum that I expected.

I assume this is all shoddy flex duct installation (and why Europe uses only rigid and not flex). I think a performance guarantee in our contract would have gone a long way to insure that they were more careful w/ the installation.

(FWIW, the guy doing the measurements said that he has only very rarely seen a standard bath fan perform at better than 50% of advertised rating.)

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Comments (5)

Elmer J Fudd
6 years ago
Contractors and tradesmen sell services, not performance guarantees. If you're not satisfied with the work, call them back.
opaone
Original Author
6 years ago
A performance guarantee is simply a statement of what the service is. In this case installing an exhaust fan in a manner such that it results in air flow equal to 80% of the rating on the blower.

Without a stated performance guarantee then what do you propose should be reasonable for 'not satisfied'? What obligation do they have to do their job right?
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Elmer J Fudd
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
You won't find anyone willing to do that. A tradesman's obligation is to perform the contracted tasks in a workmanlike way, using normal techniques and in compliance with building code requirements, with the skill and knowledge expected of an experienced and licensed contractor. Performance and outcomes can be variable.

Not even an experienced surgeon or dentist doing a procedure will spend a second listening to someone demanding a guarantee as to outcome. An expectation or hope, sure. If you pay someone to connect a fan and an exhaust duct, they should connect a fan and an exhaust duct competently. Period. If you plan to micromanage the work, let them know in advance. If the contractor is inept, well, that happens.

Are you the guy who built a house, I'm pretty shocked at your unrealistic understanding about how the building trades work.
just_janni
6 years ago
Then get better tradesmen. Clear expecations and contracts up front are nothing to be ashamed of.

In my experience, in order to get anywhere near the stated performance out of materials and equipment, there is a minimum standard of installation that must be followed.

In the case of the exhausts, were they installed to the manufacturer's recommended standards? Almost everyone these days has instructions, or a "system" or specifications, etc.

That seems like a huge variance between the stated performance vs the actual- so I'd be curious to see of things like rigid ducting is required/recommended.

It always seems to be the sticky wicket in trades- things like warranty are only applicable if the installation is done according to spec- and way too many times it's not-leaving the homeowner with an essentially worthless warranty and a lot of finger pointing if there is an issue.
PRO
Jeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Your contractor is required to install per mfg specs which allow several duct types including flex. Is your beef really with the contractor who installed per spec?