HawthorneVillager.com

I would like to credit samsvoc for making the comment below a few days ago on another topic for peaking my curiosity.



There are many homes where on windy days their kitchen and powder room exhaust vents flap like crazy and make all kinds of noise.

Any number of solutions have been tried but none have been very successful. One thought would be to install an open type vent like those used on intakes of HRV's but they often allow cold air to migrate into the home so that would not be a good solution. Besides, this violates the OBC that requires exhaust vents have these flaps as they act as back-draft dampers.

Thanks to samsvoc's comment, I decided to drop by RONA to look into this. After a few minutes I found the solution. Made by Imperial Manufacturing Group in Canada this aluminum Anti Gust Hood vent cover could be installed right over the existing flapper type vent with a few screws, screw anchors, and some caulking or silicon to seal around the vent.



There are some installation issues to consider.

1) Do not ever install this product over a laundry dryer vent.

2) Do not remove the existing vent as this cover just goes over it.

3) Before you cover your existing exhaust vent with this Anti Gust Hood Vent, carefully inspect the duct work venting behind the existing flaps. If the duct behind the vent cover is a mess, like the one in the photo below, then you should have that repaired first.

4) When installed these white covers look rather large. They can be painted to match the siding or brick on your home.



In some cases the flaps could be removed from the existing vent. If the screen in the existing vent is metal, then that screen could be removed because the new hood cover has a screen.

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

Thank you I was looking for something like this for over a year now
I think the flaps should be removed to get rid of the noise

Fantastic Andy!

I'll be checking this out come spring, our Kitchen exhaust vent flaps like crazy even in the lightest of winds.

Thanks Andy. I'll be installing 2 vents, one for the kitchen and the other in the powder room. I'll finally be able to calm my nerves with the vents.

Once someone installs this, please let us know if it really works!

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We can agree to disagree, but let's not be disagreeable!

I installed one a couple of years ago. Absolutely works...

We have a family of birds living in ours...I think we really need to replace it.

That is why the Ontario Building Code requires that your exhaust vents ( except dryer vents ) have a screen.

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

And that's exactly why I had a family of birds living in my dryer vent a few years back.

It does have a screen - but somehow a piece of the plastic screen broke leaving a little hole, which you wouldn't think was big enough to fit a dime through let alone a few birds, but they are crafty little f'ers.

It will be replaced as soon as the tenants fly the coop.

We installed these covers a few weeks ago and are very happy with the noise reduction. We have one for our powder room exhaust and the other for the kitchen one. We bought them at Rona. Well worth the money and time to install- great results. Thanks to the people who suggested getting these !

Dryer vents must not have a screen. I guess that the build up of lint on a screen is considered to be more of a hazard than birds.

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761

I'm still working on that. I don't want to leave them homeless...

I think I might just move the nest - I feel bad about it. But I'll buy a little birdhouse and put it nearby so they have a place for next season.

A bit of an old thread - but I wanted to know how these have held up for you and if you have any pics of the install?