Why can't you hook up ANY two fans to a single vent? Why does it have to be what you call a "dual fan"?
All of our vents were installed in the soffit... nothing pokes through the roof.

I have Panasonic bathroom fans. I am not familiar with the Fantech models.

I have attached a link to the dual Fantech fan. It is one fan connected to two input grilles. This set up should be quiet since the fan motor is installed in the attic. You could set this up with two adjacent bathrooms.

The Panasonic fans are supposed to be the quietest. Panasonic does not offer a dual fan set up. You would need to have two fans and two separate exhausts.

The installation price you were quoted seems reasonable.

I would recommend separate Panasonic fans controlled by electronic timers. The exhaust vent in the attic should be insulated in order to prevent condensation.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fantech dual fan

Thank you everyone for your replies and helpful tips. I am going to see if I can find an HVAC company that has installed these dual fans. If just seems to make sense to reduce the number of openings through walls or roof that we will need.

Ncrealestateguy, we already have bathroom roof vents installed for these future fans. This was done at the roofing stage, so too late to re-route the vents out the side walls for two of our baths. I hope this is not going to be a problem.

Mike, you mentioned you have Panasonic fans. Do you recall which model you have? Given you recommended electronic timers, I am assuming your fan is not the Panasonic Whisper Value model the HVAC company was suggesting.

Thanks again.

Carol

I put in a Fantech with a single line last year. It's very quiet because the motor is at some distance from the opening, exactly as mike describes. The sound is mostly of air movement like a soft whoosh, there's almost no motor noise at all.

When installing a dual connection, the two branches of the V need to be the same length to have the same draw. That doesn't mean the motor needs to be equidistant from the two ceiling grills, you just make the two legs the same length. Also, it's recommended for any brand of a humid air exhaust system to use a timer to allow additional run time to clear moisture. When using two runs to different bathrooms, it can easily be wired so that a timer in either bathroom turns the fan on.

The Panasonics could be equally quiet, I'm not familiar with them.

I scratch my head when I hear of a contractor giving a baloney answer. I can't guess which of the possibilities fit the situation (he had extra Panasonics on hand, or he gets a better margin on Panasonic, or he doesn't carry Fantech, or he'd never done it before, or ?) but I try to avoid people like that.

More info on the Fantech site. I found their call-in tech support excellent, they answered all my questions and then directed me to an internet seller they said they had the best reports from. It arrived in a few days and my HVAC contractor was more than happy to simply install what I'd bought.

Here is a link that might be useful: From Fantech site

I think my Panasonic fans are one model generation older than what is currently available. I have the equivalent of the FV-15Q5 and the FV-15QL5. The latter model has a built in light.

The electronic timer replaces the wall switch. It does not come as part of the fan. I like the electronic version rather the the rotary mechanical type. Either one would work. You can use the timer on any fan.

This is sooo easy - those fans in the ceiling with lights are just crap.

Google Soler & Palau for some good in-line fans.

Basically, you mount the fan in the attic (or ceiling) and attach both ducts to the inlet of the fan. They have inexpensive plastic dampers so the air only goes one way.

Your contractor appears to be a know-nothing.

Hi Snidely, Mike and Doug,

Your collective wisdom and info is very helpful, and I am grateful for your responses. I assume the HVAC contractor has not used the Fantech fans before, and may have a bad experience with another sort of dual fan (or else he had some Value Panasonics in stock LOL as suggested by Snidely).

Carol

Doug,
What is so bad about the cieling fans with lights? Besides that since the motor is inside the bathroom, are loud.

Panasonic bath fans are very quiet. I have installed at least 4 of them in houses I have owned or own.
Venting bath fans out the soffitt is not the best thing for your attic. The purpose of attic ventilation is to get the moist air out. Venting a bath fan out a soffitt just sends the air right up into the attic. Lots of general contractors do it but not smart ones.
I know of a house where 2 baths were vented with one fan and apparently every noise from one bath was heard in the other. Can't verify that but a trades person told me about it.

anitamacey,

The exhaust fans I have seen vented out the soffit have been solid ducted from the bathroom ceiling to the exhaust duct outlet on the underside of the soffit - no air exhausted into the attic.

When I redid my Master Bath last year I opted for a slightly longer duct run to exit at the vertical gable end.

Yes, that is correct. My soffit vented fans are piped from the fan all the way to the soffits to the outside. No air goes into he attic.

One question about the Panasonics, can you get replacement parts easily? Broan/Nutone offer replacement motors/bases that you can get just about anywhere.

I'm not sure whether the two fan/one vent thing would be worth the hassle, if it wasn't done right you could have problems.

As for soffit vents, OP is in Canada. Soffit vents for bathroom fans haven't been permitted in British Columbia for years, and Canada's working towards a unified code so I doubt they're allowed in Ontario, either.

Thanks for the heads up, Alan on the code regarding soffit vents. Once we are done our addition we will have two small baths on the main floor which the contractor had talked about venting out the side of the house through the gable. I will check to make sure Ontario allows side of home venting for a bath fan. If we do go for the Fantech dual fans I will ensure the contractor has installed this product before, and is not learning on our job. I appreciate your input.

Carol

Nutone has an entry level/builders' grade reputation. Panasonic and Fantech (to a greater extent) seem to be considered as having better quality.

Does that matter? Yes to some, no to others. Replacement parts are easily available for any major brand and, don't forget, are unlikely to be needed anytime soon.