4 in. to 6 in. Soffit Exhaust Vent

Yes this product is ideal for both bathroom fan venting and kitchen range hood venting.

Couple of things you could check: 1. Confirm the baddie inside moves freely. If its hanging up and can’t open far enough, that could be a problem. 2. Check the CFM of the fan. Mine is 80 CFM and the does not open wide, but there is definitely solid air flow. The package does not indicate a minimum CFM, but it is possible that very low volume fans may not over come the spring. I assume there is no obvious blockage of the vent pipe or break where the airflow is escaping due to the back pressure as a result of the spring. Check the obvious and easy things first.

Generally, soffits are how cool air gets into an attic space. Through normal convection, hot air rises and leaves through vents in the roof or at the peak of the roof. This, under normal circumstances, does not require any power venting. If you are in an area where power venting the attic is common, this is still unlikely to be the right product for you. This product is best suited for applications like a bathroom exhaust or similar where there’s a fan involved which would overcome the spring on the air baffle (which prevents back flow of air when the fan is off) If you need to vent an attic space, you may want to talk to a licensed contractor in your area who can get the details for your specific requirements.

Yes. There is a baffle in the unit that is spring loaded closed until the air pressure of the vent opens it. I have an exhaust fan that is currently set for 80 CFM and it doesn't open it wide open, but it was clear there was ample airflow.

Bought two of them. very easy to install. Hoses from the vent fans were there already. All I had to do was measure a circle to cut out in the soffit, drill a few pilot holes to guide the jigsaw, cut the 2 holes, attach the hoses, secure with ring clamps, and screw the vent covers to the soffit with the provided screws. Easy!

There are two diameters in this product as it has one ring for a 4" duct and one ring for a 6" duct closer to the face. If you're hooking up a 4" duct to it, you will still have to cut a 6" hole for the larger part of the body to fit through. When you purchase it, and see the back more clearly, it should be easier to see. While a template does make it easier, find a center point and draw a circle with a string and Sharpie or other means as all you need the template for is a circle.

Certainly should have no issues with the lower end of that range, but I am not sure as you approach the higher end if that will create too much restriction as a result of the spring loaded damper. I think a bigger concern would be relating to the other items in the airflow. Over time, the collective grease and debris (yes, even with a filter) has the potential to collect at the place the damper seals and could act as an adhesive causing the damper to stick. If you don't need the damper to prevent back flow of air, then you might be able to remove the spring and damper and then I think you would have much better luck wit the higher CFMs as well. NOTE: I live in the northern states, so I am expecting colder temps to be a factor to a larger degree. In Texas, it might be a lesser issue, but years of grease that collect would could still be a challenge to overcome after cooling overnight, for example.

Yes. While our house does have wood above the vinyl, the screws bit well to the vinyl. If your soffit was properly installed, I think the worst thing you could experience is potential sagging over the long run.

While there is sufficient CFM to open the vent and carry the airflow, I would not recommend this for that application unless you are planning to remove the check valve. Microwave vents often include particulate from cooking foods, like grease. This unit could become contaminated and the grease, during colder months, could actually keep the check valve closed. If you remove the check valve components of this so it does not have that issue, it will allow hot and cold air to travel back to your appliances which could create a draft (most microwaves have a baffle to reduce this, but it is not air tight when closed and pressure differential will create some airflow). Depending on what you use for ducting to this unit, you could also have issue with build up on that. I assume you know what you're doing and would use smooth metal ducting for the entire run. Plastic flex lines will create a lot of turbulence causing the air flow to meet resistance and it could cause items in the flow (like grease) to settle out, which creates other problems. As such, I do not think this is a good product for that application.

Yes. It does not rely on gravity to open or close; there is a spring that closers the damper when there isn't sufficient airflow.