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Can you vent a bathroom vent through a turtle (roof) vent?

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  • Dec 3rd, 2017 11:29 pm
Deal Fanatic
Mar 17, 2004
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Toronto

Can you vent a bathroom vent through a turtle (roof) vent?

Hi, a contractor is putting in a washroom vent for me. He said he would vent it through one of the turtle vents outside. I thought maybe this wouldn't be the ideal solution. He said he wanted to avoid cutting a hole in the roof because he's concerned about water leakage. What do you guys think?

Right next to the washroom is also an unused furnace flue that's been capped off in the basement. I was thinking of asking him to re-use it. Can this be reused to vent the fan?
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Deal Addict
Sep 11, 2006
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Toronto
Oni-kun wrote: Hi, a contractor is putting in a washroom vent for me. He said he would vent it through one of the turtle vents outside. I thought maybe this wouldn't be the ideal solution. He said he wanted to avoid cutting a hole in the roof because he's concerned about water leakage. What do you guys think?

Right next to the washroom is also an unused furnace flue that's been capped off in the basement. I was thinking of asking him to re-use it. Can this be reused to vent the fan?
Let me guess... Kijiji?
Just run already or your next thread will be "Do I have to pay my contractor for terrible work?"
This guy is not a pro and likely does not have insurance, I hope he is not doing electrical for you. He will likely not use an insulated duct to vent your fan and you will be sorry if he doesnt. The "Turtle vent" is not to be used for a fan EVER unless you want serious mold in your attic.
A roofing contractor is insured to install a roof vent,
Deal Fanatic
Mar 17, 2004
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DIrty-D wrote: Let me guess... Kijiji?
Just run already or your next thread will be "Do I have to pay my contractor for terrible work?"
This guy is not a pro and likely does not have insurance, I hope he is not doing electrical for you. He will likely not use an insulated duct to vent your fan and you will be sorry if he doesnt. The "Turtle vent" is not to be used for a fan EVER unless you want serious mold in your attic.
A roofing contractor is insured to install a roof vent,
No not kijiji. Was recommended to do our whole washroom from a family member.
Deal Guru
Jan 25, 2007
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Paris
Oni-kun wrote: No not kijiji. Was recommended to do our whole washroom from a family member.
He still doesnt know what he is doing regardless of where you found him. Does he have insurance? Certifications? WSIB?
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Dec 5, 2009
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Have you considered using the soffit? It’s also NOT ideal, but I think a better option than using an existing attic vent.
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Mar 17, 2004
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I asked him about it and he said if I'm more comfortable with it he'll put a new vent hole in the roof.
Deal Addict
Jun 2, 2012
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GTA
Oni-kun wrote: I asked him about it and he said if I'm more comfortable with it he'll put a new vent hole in the roof.
What don't you understand... don't use this guy...
Probably won't even use insulated duct
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Mar 17, 2004
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GSpeed wrote: What don't you understand... don't use this guy...
Probably won't even use insulated duct
They're basically halfway done the washroom. Everything else looks good. What would you have me do? Fire them over a vent? It's also a family friend, we trust him to do decent work. I think he wanted to save himself some work but after asking him he will do a new vent.
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Jan 5, 2003
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Oni-kun wrote: They're basically halfway done the washroom. Everything else looks good. What would you have me do? Fire them over a vent? It's also a family friend, we trust him to do decent work. I think he wanted to save himself some work but after asking him he will do a new vent.
The problem is that if he's at all hesitant to do it, that's a good indication it won't be done correctly. If he's at all knowledgable about putting in a new vent (where to cut, how to place it UNDER the shingles, etc.), he'll know that venting a bathroom using a "turtle" vent is bad. Probably most hacks would just nail the vent on top of the shingles and use a ton of caulking to keep water out. That may do for a while, but will eventually leak.

One option is to have him finish the bathroom and get a roofer to put in a vent, but most won't bother for such a small job, or just send the job to a handyperson, which wouldn't be much better than your family friend.

Start googling and reading up on the proper way to do it, and go over it with him, at least.

Off the top of my head:

- length as short as possible, no elbows
- insulated duct
- best if non-flexible (ridges reduce air flow)
- metal vent
- vapour barrier over fan motor

Oh, and needs to be on separate GFCI if within shower wet zone, I believe...
Deal Guru
Feb 9, 2006
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Brampton
fdl wrote: Have you considered using the soffit? It’s also NOT ideal, but I think a better option than using an existing attic vent.
No do not do this even tho you can, convection will pull the humidity back in to the near by roof section and or contribute to ice dams in that region.

I want to be clear that the question the OP is asking is he doesn't want to put a new vent up and use an existing vent to vent to is that correct? Do add an extra vent otherwise you're reducing the venting as a whole for your roof.

It's not wrong to use those style of vents to connect to exhaust to. New houses tend to use these now if the slope is not too great and it's close to the washroom.
Personal opinion is they're less optimal as it warms that roof section and could potentially freeze and block up as well as melt snow there and potentially ice dam the edge.
I'd much prefer the style the vents to the side/fascia of the house.

He's got to do it properly though, using insulated pipe/ductwork and make sure the VB Covers the fan so you don't excess moist air leaking in to the attic. He's also got to make sure the duct is securely fastened to the vent and sealed.
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Dec 5, 2009
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tebore wrote: No do not do this even tho you can, convection will pull the humidity back in to the near by roof section and or contribute to ice dams in that region.
This is not really true. And it’s allowable by code. But I agree it’s not the best way.
I'd much prefer the style the vents to the side/fascia of the house.
Per your point above, Depending how close to the roof line, this air could also get exhausted into the attic space.
He's got to do it properly though, using insulated pipe/ductwork and make sure the VB Covers the fan so you don't excess moist air leaking in to the attic. He's also got to make sure the duct is securely fastened to the vent and sealed.
This is true and most important no matter which way he goes.
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Feb 9, 2006
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Brampton
fdl wrote: This is not really true. And it’s allowable by code. But I agree it’s not the best way.



Per your point above, Depending how close to the roof line, this air could also get exhausted into the attic space.



This is true and most important no matter which way he goes.
I clearly said no do not do that even tho you can.
Deal Guru
Jan 25, 2007
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Paris
Oni-kun wrote: They're basically halfway done the washroom. Everything else looks good. What would you have me do? Fire them over a vent? It's also a family friend, we trust him to do decent work. I think he wanted to save himself some work but after asking him he will do a new vent.
Here's the thing about someone wanting to save themselves work... that philosophy has been ingrained into your bathroom renovation from beginning to end. So

"should we lay new subfloor for the tiles? Let's save ourselves some work"
"Should we tear out and make sure all around the tub or shower is waterproof? Let's save ourselves some work"
"The plumbing drain doesn't appear to be vented. Oh well, let's save ourselves some work"

If they wanted to shortcut the vent stack, what else have they shortcut all the way along?
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Mar 17, 2004
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Jerico wrote: Here's the thing about someone wanting to save themselves work... that philosophy has been ingrained into your bathroom renovation from beginning to end. So

"should we lay new subfloor for the tiles? Let's save ourselves some work"
"Should we tear out and make sure all around the tub or shower is waterproof? Let's save ourselves some work"
"The plumbing drain doesn't appear to be vented. Oh well, let's save ourselves some work"

If they wanted to shortcut the vent stack, what else have they shortcut all the way along?

Well I've been watching what they're doing. The demo'd the whole thing. Then he saw the subfloor was moldy under the tub area so he cut it all out and put new subfloor. He said the beams behind the drywall were also warped so he changed them all. These were all things he came and got me from my office to go look at. He could have easily said nothing and done nothing and I wouldn't have known any better. He's not charging me extra for any of it, it was flat rate for the job.

He also replaced some of the copper pipes under the tub that ran all sorts of weird 90 degree turns with PEX because he said it would fix the water pressure problems I said I had and have less water hammer. If he never did i wouldn't have noticed either.

It could be he was confident in the turtle vent method but since I said I was concerned he said he would put a vent in the roof.
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Feb 9, 2006
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Brampton
Oni-kun wrote: Well I've been watching what they're doing. The demo'd the whole thing. Then he saw the subfloor was moldy under the tub area so he cut it all out and put new subfloor. He said the beams behind the drywall were also warped so he changed them all. These were all things he came and got me from my office to go look at. He could have easily said nothing and done nothing and I wouldn't have known any better. He's not charging me extra for any of it, it was flat rate for the job.

He also replaced some of the copper pipes under the tub that ran all sorts of weird 90 degree turns with PEX because he said it would fix the water pressure problems I said I had and have less water hammer. If he never did i wouldn't have noticed either.

It could be he was confident in the turtle vent method but since I said I was concerned he said he would put a vent in the roof.
So it was you that had the concern for another hole in the roof?

Sounds like he knows what he's doing and is doing a decent job (From your description).
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Mar 17, 2004
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tebore wrote: So it was you that had the concern for another hole in the roof?

Sounds like he knows what he's doing and is doing a decent job (From your description).
No. He said sometimes a new hole in the roof the waterproofing isn't that great because you have to lift the shingle or something then put it back? Yeah I trust him. He's a long time friend of my father in law. I think if he did a crappy job then it would hurt their friendship haha
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Jan 6, 2002
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Oni-kun wrote: No. He said sometimes a new hole in the roof the waterproofing isn't that great because you have to lift the shingle or something then put it back? Yeah I trust him. He's a long time friend of my father in law. I think if he did a crappy job then it would hurt their friendship haha
There's an old adage in the home reno business.... Try to avoid putting holes into perfectly good roofs unless absolutely needed.
Last edited by hoob on Dec 1st, 2017 5:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Mar 17, 2004
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hoob wrote: There's an old adage in the home reno.... Try to avoid putting holes into perfectly good roofs unless absolutely needed.
Haha well he is an old guy. I think it'll be okay though. He knows how to do it, said he has to lift the shingle, slide it under, then seal it.
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Oct 19, 2008
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hoob wrote: There's an old adage in the home reno business.... Try to avoid putting holes into perfectly good roofs unless absolutely needed.
Yep, same for boats.

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