Haha, you're definitely not alone in that. I've seen plenty of bathrooms where folks went a little overkill on fan power—sounds like you're drying your hair in a wind tunnel. 😂 Honestly, airflow is important, but noise is too...especially if the bathroom's near bedrooms or living areas. Maybe next time look at the sone rating alongside the CFM? Curious if anyone found a sweet spot between power and quietness...
"sounds like you're drying your hair in a wind tunnel. 😂"
Haha, this made me laugh because it reminded me of a job I did last year. The homeowner insisted on getting the strongest fan possible—said he wanted "industrial strength." I tried gently suggesting something quieter, but nope, he was set on power. Fast forward a week after installation, and he's calling me back, sheepishly admitting his family was complaining about the noise. Said it sounded like a jet engine firing up every time someone flipped the switch. 😂
Ended up swapping it out for something with a lower sone rating and decent CFM—think it was around 1.0 sones and 80-100 CFM. He was skeptical at first, but later admitted it was perfect. Quiet enough not to wake the kids, but still cleared steam quickly after showers.
So yeah, you're definitely onto something with balancing those two ratings. It's easy to overlook noise levels when you're just focused on airflow numbers...but comfort matters too, especially in a family home. Glad you found your sweet spot!
Had a similar experience at my parents' place. Dad went all-in on a high-powered fan thinking it'd clear steam instantly. It did, but it also scared the dog every time someone turned it on and made conversations impossible. Eventually swapped it for something quieter (around 1.2 sones, I think?) and it's way better now—still clears moisture fine without sounding like an airport runway. Lesson learned: louder isn't always better...
"Lesson learned: louder isn't always better..."
Totally agree with this. When we redid our bathroom, I spent ages comparing fan specs—noise levels, airflow, energy use, the works. Ended up going mid-range (around 1.5 sones) because the ultra-quiet ones were way pricier. Honestly, it's quiet enough and clears moisture fine without breaking the bank. Curious though, did anyone else find a sweet spot between cost and noise level? Seems like there's diminishing returns once you get below a certain sone rating...
Yeah, you're spot on about diminishing returns. When we redid ours, I got caught up chasing the quietest fan possible at first too. But honestly, after a certain point, it's just marketing hype—you won't even notice the difference between 1 sone and 0.5 sones unless you're really listening for it. We settled somewhere around the same range as you did, and it's been totally fine. Clears the moisture quickly enough to keep mold away (my biggest fear!), without sounding like a small jet engine taking off.
Plus, saving some cash on the fan meant we could put more towards better insulation and eco-friendly paint—both way more impactful for long-term comfort and safety, IMO. Sounds like you made a solid choice balancing things out.
