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screeching extraction fan

Brie
Posts: 13,519 Ambassador


We have an extraction fan in our loo and it is currently doing 2 annoying things.
When you pull the cord to turn it on there is a delay, sometimes up to 2 or 3 minutes, before the fan starts. And when it does start it starts off with this dreadful screeching sound which may last a minute or longer. It does go to a gentle whirring eventually.
I don't know how long it has been in place - certainly well before when we bought the place 3+ years back. And I don't recall much of a delay or any particular noise when we first moved in.
Is there a reason for this? I'm wondering if all it needs is to take the cover off, give is a bit of a wipe/hoover and then a spritz of WD40?
Is this easy to do?? For someone who rarely, if ever, does any DIY?
I mean, I could try to find some handyperson to do this and possibly replace the cord on the upstairs bathroom light on the same visit. I expect a proper electrician would laugh at me.
When you pull the cord to turn it on there is a delay, sometimes up to 2 or 3 minutes, before the fan starts. And when it does start it starts off with this dreadful screeching sound which may last a minute or longer. It does go to a gentle whirring eventually.
I don't know how long it has been in place - certainly well before when we bought the place 3+ years back. And I don't recall much of a delay or any particular noise when we first moved in.
Is there a reason for this? I'm wondering if all it needs is to take the cover off, give is a bit of a wipe/hoover and then a spritz of WD40?
Is this easy to do?? For someone who rarely, if ever, does any DIY?
I mean, I could try to find some handyperson to do this and possibly replace the cord on the upstairs bathroom light on the same visit. I expect a proper electrician would laugh at me.
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"Never retract, never explain, never apologise; get things done and let them howl.” Nellie McClung
"Never retract, never explain, never apologise; get things done and let them howl.” Nellie McClung
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Comments
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If it takes that long to gear up and it makes that noise then it's probably the bearings. Easiest thing to do would be a replacement.It's possible something is just pushed against the blades, but probably not.2
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There's nothing lost by giving it a clean. Isolate the power to it before you start, just to be on the safe side. Dismantle it as much as you reasonably can, give everything a really good clean with a damp cloth, making sure it's thoroughly dry before you put it back together again. WD40 might help on the spindle, the downside being that it can encourage dust to stick to it, making the problem worse in the long term.Also check that the fan blades are not catching anywhere - it only takes a slight dent in the housing to cause an obstruction.It could be the bearings are on their way out. Not much you can do about that in DIY terms, but you should be able to find a replacement unit that's the right size for not much money, and just do a straight swap.1
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They do get full of dust over the years. I do clean ours out now and then but there comes a time when they need replacing.1
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Brie said:
...and then a spritz of WD40?
Extractor fans and pipework have a lot of plastic in them, so liberal use of oil/solvent based products isn't a good idea. It is also unlikely you'd actually get any of the WD40 onto the bearing, which is likely to be the fault.
A drop of lubricating oil (like 3 in 1, but not like WD40) applied directly to the bearing might reduce the noise, but would only be a short-term fix. There's also the problem of safely getting access to the bearing.
Unfortunately a new fan is likely to be the only effective solution.
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If you've got some WD40 and can safely isolate the electric supply to the fan then remove it and give it a spray as best you can. Worse case scenario it does not work and you have to buy a new fan. If you haven't got any WD40 and have no other use for it then just go straight for a new fan.Sorry I can't think of anything profound, clever or witty to write here.1
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It could be something simple as the fan blades need cleaning, a build up of dust/fluff can easily throw a blade slightly out of balance, take the cover off and clean it thoroughly, run it without the cover on, is it still noisy.? some fans have a delay before starting but usually only a few seconds1
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Probably cheaper & easier just to replace the whole thing
Cheap enough at the likes of Toolstation & Screwfix.
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unless it's about 30 years old, it won't be built well enough to even withstand a cleaning, it'll just break in the process I'd be willing to bet. modern fans are just incredibly fragile, everything is as thin as it can possibly be, and after a few years they go brittle and will just crack when disturbed. plus it's probably a bearing that's gone if you are getting a squeal
it's probably much cheaper to just replace2
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