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Exhaust Fans
Exhaust fans remove moisture from the home.
Activities that require warm or boiling water
create moisture in your home. Excess moisture
promotes growth of mold and may damage
building materials.
Bathrooms and cooking ranges include
exhaust fans designed to remove moisture
and odors from the air. Turn on exhaust fans
during and after a bath or shower and while
you’re cooking.
Care and maintenance
The following are tips for maintaining your
exhaust fans:
Turn off the fan’s power (unplug it) before
conducting maintenance.
Check to ensure the fan is pulling air. To do so,
hold a tissue near the fan grille. If the fan is
pulling air, the tissue will be pulled tight against
the grille.
Dust may accumulate on the fan and grille.
Maintain pulling power by keeping them clean.
Damp cloths work well.
Blow dust from the fan with a can of
compressed air.
CAUTION: Unplug all electrical appliances
before cleaning them.
Also, see Cooktops, Ovens, and Ranges, page 81.
Finishes
Proper care ensures the finishes in your
bathroom and kitchen retain their beauty.
Brass, chrome, and nickel
Chrome is durable, hard and resistant to
scratching. Nickel looks similar to chrome but
has a warmer undertone. It is softer than chrome
and more easily scratched. Brass also scratches
easily. A clear protective coating often is applied
to brass to make it more durable.
Enamel
Enamel surfaces are hard but can be chipped if
misused — being struck by a heavy object, or
cleaned with abrasives, for example. Enamel
surfaces are comprised of tile, porcelain, or
vitreous china.
Stainless steel
As their name implies, stainless steel finishes
are designed to resist staining. Scrub them
occasionally. A properly maintained stainless
steel surface can last many years, and even if
small scratches occur, they often will blend in.
