Panasonic Whisperwall Exhaust Fan Product Review
Panasonic FV-08WQ1 WhisperWall 70 CFM Wall Mounted Fan
First off, let me say that having an exhaust fan in your tiny house is a must! They are not at all expensive in the grand scheme of things, are fairly easy to install, and will help you in many ways:
- Reduce/eliminate any bathroom odor from composting toilet
- Reduce/eliminate any water vapor build-up in the bathroom/house during or after showing
- Exhaust cooking fumes (and water vapor) created by propane stove
- Help circulate air throughout the house (helps to cool down loft with loft window open)
It is especially necessary to have a means of moisture control in a house like mine that is very tightly sealed with spray foam insulation. Very little air gets in or out of the house unless a window is open, so the exhaust fan helps just to allow the house to breathe a bit.
For all these purposes the Panasonic Whisperwall has been fantastic. Here’s why:
Cost
This model costs a bit more than some of its competitors (Braun), but is well worth it (you’ll see why below). I was recommended this model by my spray foam installer and very happy with the purchase.
Performance
What’s great about this exhaust fan is that it is both QUIET and it moves a lot of air. With the cheaper models, you’ll get one or the other, but not both. This fan is aptly named in that is really is nearly whisper quiet. You can barely hear that it is on. In fact, we leave it on almost constantly throughout the day and never notice it.
Installation
Another great thing about this model is that it comes with all the pieces necessary to install with relative ease. It comes with the vent mounted on the exterior of the house. It comes with a circular mounting plate and guide to cut a perfect whole in your wall. And of course it comes with the fan unit itself and the simple white grill that covers the interior. It has the wiring for easy electrical hookup. The package is clean and simple.
Looks
Another thing I like about this fan is that it’s small, and it looks nice. It doesn’t try to add any other features (a light, for example). It just does exhaust fan, and it does it very well.
Durability
We’ll have to give it some more time before I can speak from experience, but from the reviews I’ve read, many people have had this fan running constantly for many years and they report that it’s still going strong. When my fan does eventually give out some day, I just hope they are still making the same model so I can just swap out just the fan unit itself with a new one.
So far I honestly can’t think of anything negative to say about it.
At the time of purchase, the best price I found was from Amazon.com.
What do you use for moisture flow and air circulation in your tiny house? Are you happy with your decision?
Gotta love that Unix mentality. Do one thing, do it very well.
Is the only drawback with the Broan that it is 3.5 sones versus the Whisper's 1? They both are rated 70 cfm. Does the whisper perform better than the Broan in any other areas?
I can't say for sure since I haven't used the Broan model. But the quietness alone is a big difference. My guess is the overall build quality is better on the Whispterwall, so it will likely last longer. I really love it and would buy another without question.
Just an FYI:
Manufacturers instructions state that this fan is not intended nor is it rated for use near cooking equipment. You may want to edit your post to reflect that.
Good info. Thanks. Since everything is close to everything else in a tiny house, this may be hard to accomplish. I'm not suggesting that it goes right next to a stove or anything, but just that having it in the bathroom or elsewhere in the house can serve more than one purpose.