How Often to Clean Your Bathroom Fan to Prevent Fires

Lina Portman2 weeks ago

0 1 minute read

Two consecutive fires started by bathroom fans are cause for concern, according to the Ankeny Fire Department.

The first fire, on June 5, occurred at a residence in Ankeny when no one was home. The fire, which broke out in the attic of the house, caused significant damage, according to the Ankeny Fire Department.

The cause was determined to be the bathroom ventilation system.

“We had evidence that the fire started at the fan due to the amount of damage in the area,” Ankeny Fire Marshal Craig Van Huel told the Register.

The next day, a fire broke out at a home in Alleman, a town just north of Ankeny. This also started because of a bathroom fan.

“This fire was reported by the resident and is believed to have started in the fan,” Van Huel said.

The Ankeny Fire Department is warning homeowners to take action before their home catches fire. Van Huel said it's as simple as regular maintenance.

“They need to be cleaned, maintained and checked from time to time,” Van Huel said. “If they start making weird noises or are louder than in the past, you need to think about it.”

Van Huel also said a strong electrical odor or burning plastic smell can be an indicator of problems that need to be addressed.

“This is an electrical device, so that could also be a point of failure,” Van Huel said. “A lot of this may be due to the amount of dust, lint and other debris that ends up inside after it has been running and not cleaned out.”

Although some fans have an on/off switch and are not intended to run 24 hours a day, some run continuously and should be checked.

“Cleaning them, maintaining them and making sure they’re still in good working order,” is the best way to prevent these types of fires, Van Huel said.

Bathroom fans should be checked and cleaned every six months to prevent fires.

Kyle Werner is a reporter at the Register. Contact him at [email protected].

Lina Portman

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