[If you haven't crossed Marc's DIY Eichler House Facebook page, you should check it out. It's probably the most useful social-media board out there for Eichler-related-repair stuff. The intel below is pulled from a few topics on that page.]
The operation and repair of the original Nutone exhaust fans has come up a few times in the past few months. While the original fans aren't very powerful, they did — and can — work and potentially alleviate more drastic measures in venting your Eichler kitchen or bathrooms. Like anything that's nearly 70 years old, parts wear out and could use a refresh. Fortunately, in the word of Eichlers, the original parts were so simple that repair — versus replacement — is often possible.
[A captivating video of our exhaust fan vs. a paper towel. See the above FB post for that.]
First, it's important to think about air movement and how that works: motor speed, fan size, fan blade shape all come into play, but in realistic terms, you're only going to pull so much air with an 8in fan blade within a 9in tube. So, keep your expectations realistic. If you do need industrial-level exhaust, you might be better off looking to other systems.
… when living in a 70 year old house, you should expect to get your hands dirty every now and again — it’s part of the adventure.
Otherwise, the fan mechanism is simple: a small AC motor with a 2-prong cord attached to an 8in fan blade. The blade was originally aluminum (and you can re-use that one), or get a new plastic one. I'll post links to products below — some of which may/may not be available when you order. All are AMZ links ... sorry.
Fan Motors:
I've use this one several times:
PACKARD 3.3 Inch Diameter Vent Fan
This/these might also work:
Kitchen Basics 101 3.3 Inch Diameter Vent Fan
Endurance Pro 3.3 Inch Diameter Vent Fan
Blades:
I've use this one several times:
This/these might also work:
Installation:
Installation is fairly simple: Remove the old fan — replace with new one. Below are some pics of our own fan that's been in operation for a few years. It took 87 seconds to remove the grill, unplug the fan, unclip the motor, remove, and photograph. It's super simple. If I recall, when fitting the new motor to the harp, i had to enlarge the holes for the new studs to fit well, but it wasn't complex. The original harp is important as it is the thing that hold the grill to the ceiling, so be kind to this part — you could re-create, but ...
The fan motor is attached to a metal bar (often called a "harp") with two flip-clips — it's easy to remove as long as the clips aren't summed up. If they're gummed up with years of kitchen grease, take some time to clean first. I like a mixture of d-limonene, "purple" degreaser, and water (1:2:20 mixture) — the d-limonene and degreaser make a good grease-cutting suspension solution that is easily dispersed via a spray bottle (shake first — it will look like milk). You can also use this mixture to clean up the housing and fan blade, too — the cleaner and slicker the parts, the smoother the air flow.
Often, the hardest part is fitting the new fan to the harp and some muscle might be required to get everything to align, but you can make it work... I've kind of come to the realization that when living in a 70 year old house, you should expect to get your hands dirty every now and again — it’s part of the adventure.
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