DIY guideBathroom fan

Bathroom fan stopped or loud: switch, breaker, then clean it

Check its switch and its breaker, then clean the grille and the fan wheel. A fan that still won't run needs an electrician.

6 steps

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Turn the fan's switch off, then on again. If the light on the same plate works, the power is reaching the room.
Look in the panel for a tripped breaker and reset it once. A tripped GFCI outlet in the bathroom can cut the fan too: press its Reset.
A breaker that trips again means a fault: leave it off.
Turn the fan's breaker off, then pull the grille down and squeeze its two wire springs to free it.
Turn the breaker off before you reach into the fan.
Wash the grille in soapy water. Brush and vacuum the dust off the fan wheel and the housing.
Clip the grille back, turn the breaker on and run the fan. Hold a square of toilet paper under it: it should hold the paper up.
Humming, grinding, a burning smell, or a fan that won't start: leave it off and ask Handyman for an electrician.

Handyman says: I'll find you an electrician.

Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.