The Fan

When you move into a new house and a couple of switches are taped either up or down, it takes awhile to make the time and put forth the effort to take things apart and figure it out. The fan in the bathroom and it’s light was one of those switches, so we have been making due. We actually managed to get a whole new fan assembly shortly after we moved in, but we never had the time and energy to use it. When we tried the switch, the fan wobbled and squealed loud enough to wake the neighbors, and no light came on. But as things happen, we didn’t get to it for so long, and in our minds we began to wonder if it was going to take replacing the vent to the roof and all of that.

One delay after another and finally this evening I took it all apart hoping that with the new fan, I could replace the blade or something, maybe the light kit and get at least part of it working. Well, to start, it is hazardously close to both the sink and toilet, so if I drop a tool, it is going to hit porcelain. Smash, bang, boom, big ticket items to replace. Second major concern, even after examining the identical fixture, my husband is a genius at this stuff and bought the exact same to replace so the holes and parts would work, I was struggling to figure out how I was going to take it apart. It seemed too simple…could it just pull apart with one nut holding it all up and in place? I really wasn’t sure as I balanced and stretched to reach…but it worked.

I got it all apart, cleaned it up, there was dust packed inside as if those dust bunnies had been trying to escape for a year or more. Then we oiled and sprayed and ran it a bit. Then I replaced the light bulb after we put it all back together-and it worked. Then I cleaned the bathroom and sucked up all that dust.

Now we have a working exhaust fan and a light in the bathroom. How amazing is that?