How to stop the exterior vents from making a tapping noise

If you would like to support this channel, please keep us in mind when you need an inspection, subscribe, and consider donating so we can continue to make great videos for you! www.paypal.com... / bjpoznecki This video shows you how to eliminate the tapping sound on your exterior vents.

[@melissacarter4063]

This is genius! Just moved into a new home and kept hearing this tapping noise on windy days. So annoying! Thank you!

[@RoninBeaver]

Man, what a genius idea. Can’t believe this didn’t dawn on me, have metal vents and the noise on windy days bothers the hell out of me. Phenomenal tip, thanks for this.

[@BJPoznecki]

My pleasure 🤝

[@uepalfie9761]

I used the the soft side of Velcro tape, great video

[@BJPoznecki]

Excellent idea Alfie! Thank you for sharing with the Community!

[@stevegourlay21]

Great idea, will get some of those felt pads to stop this annoying noise. Thanks the simple ideas are the best

[@BJPoznecki]

Thanks Steve!

[@Chris-de8iv]

I was starting to lose my mind. I live in a big city so the side of my house that had the vent I couldn’t get access to so I couldn’t figure out where the heck the noise was coming from. This solved it! Thank you for the post 🎉

[@jacobs8005]

Thanks for this idea! I've been trying to think of a way to stop my indoor vents from rattling, which I found out would cease causing noises if I held the inner fins down with my finger. Since I never shut the vents anyway, I put some 1/2" pieces between each fin and cut some smaller pieces to wedge into the smaller spots. Worked like a charm. When the heavy rush of air comes on for either A/C or heat, it no longer rattles at all. I know it's from excessive air, but all of the options to fix that are far more expensive than buying a roll of adhesive foam for about ten bucks.

[@BJPoznecki]

💯 thank you for sharing what you did with the community Jacob!!

[@gingermon]

6 years I’ve dealt with the tapping in the wind tunnel on Lake Erie. A quick look through KZbin university brought me to your wonderful knowledge. Thank you. Increasing water pressure through the shower head by removing filters and drilling some holes was also a nice tip I learned on here. Makes the house a resort really.

[@BJPoznecki]

Ginger Mon- Thank you for the very nice compliment! Words can’t express how happy it makes me that you guys find these videos helpful. Thank you!

[@t.h.6303]

Thank you so much! The sound is so annoying! I dont know why I didnt think of that, because I use those materials for everything!😬

[@BJPoznecki]

My pleasure, yeah it can get very annoying, especially on the windy days!

[@mondayschild3493]

Duct tape a gold coin on the flap, the weight will keep it shut but light enough to open when the fan is operated.If you put foam on it , the foam will need to get thinner near the hinge for it to close fully,if the foam is the same thickness all the way around it will hit the top but not the bottom and leave a gap. OK, you can stick any kind of coin, nut or washer or alloy wheel weight to the flap, trial and error to get the exact weight. With a flap that's fully seated closed,helps stop dust, cold and insects Your wall cowl might be leaning forwards that could be the cause, maybe pack the cowl at the bottom so it leans back more when screwing to the wood, check with spirit level so the lid will have more gravity weight.

[@meowmi1130]

You just solved the mysterious tapping sounds case that had been going on in my household for 5 years. Thanks you!

[@BJPoznecki]

🕵🏻‍♂️😂 happy to help! ✅

[@donnakeith8957]

Thank you so very much for that information mine was driving me crazy

[@seemakhincha1541]

Thank you so much! I was dealing with this for the past one year..such a helpful video!

[@BJPoznecki]

Happy to help Seema!

[@discerningmind]

Good information. But there are two things here that disturb me because they don't appear to be to code. One is, if the vent you were showing is for a clothes dryer it's not big enough. It's OK for a lavatory vent but the cover outlet doesn't have the 4" swing opening needed for a modern clothes dryer. The other issue is that no vent of this type should be near the furnace/boiler exhaust outlet that I'm seeing to left. There are circumstances, though probably more rare, that the exhaust could be drawn into the vent. More distance is needed.

[@kellyfitzpatrick6805]

Thank you 🎉

[@ICoulntThinkofAUserNam547]

thank you so much for this video :)

[@MarkusAvrelius]

It's not the wind causing it but temperature difference inside and outside. And also indoor vs outdoor pressure. It doesn't tap in the summer even if it's windy and that proves it

[@KRATS8K]

Thanks

[@daleval2182]

This does not allow the flap to close evenly and fully , use an inner set steel tab,and an outer set weak pull fridge magnet

[@stephenrew2545]

Interesting, a magnet on the metal flapper, strong enough to resist winds but weak enough to open when you run exhaust. I might explore this. 👍

[@davidsimmons177]

Thanks I thought it was electrical popping this was it

[@thisgirl5933]

I wonder if this is the noise I keep hearing, and not sone loose stuff in the attac (but close to the outside). Something like this or some other vent.

[@lauralegate6523]

My bathroom vent fans make this flapping noise and it’s constant especially when the wind picks up. I wake up to it every night making noise every few seconds. Where do I need to check at- in the attic or the roof and what am I looking for? I see another comment saying it doesn’t usually make noise unless there is a missing flapper on the exterior exhaust vent, so I would check both.

[@BJPoznecki]

Hi Laura- Well it could be either the flapper on the exterior or the flap that’s in your bathroom exhaust fan. More than likely it’s the vent on an exterior wall and you could just put some bumpers to cushion the flap and it will solve the problem. If your situation is the bathroom exhaust fan then you would need to go in the attic, disconnect the ductwork from the fan, and put bumpers on the flap inside the bathroom exhaust fan housing.

[@charlesrodriguez7984]

@@BJPozneckiI’ve found roof vents as well as wall vents especially the metal ones are kind of loud in high winds. A bumper as in a felt or rubber pad should help keep them noise down. A lot of broan and nutone bath fans also have a large plastic flap inside the housing that also makes a good bit of noise in winds too.

[@charlesrodriguez7984]

@@BJPoznecki most bathroom fans have a damper inside to keep outside air out but when the wind blows it sucks the flap open then it slams closed. I’ve found it isn’t a perfect system as air does get past the damper and sometimes it will whistle if enough air is blowing towards the vent.

[@charlesrodriguez7984]

@@BJPoznecki my previous comment now deleted had autocorrected to brown instead of broan so I retyped it. 🤦‍♂️

[@victorvek5227]

Do they make exhaust vents for bathrooms, etc., that have an electric damper that only works when the fan / blower switch is turned on?

[@BJPoznecki]

Not that I know of, however that is a great idea!

[@charlesrodriguez7984]

@@BJPoznecki sounds terrible if it fails. That’s why most just use the light weight flap on a hinge.

[@lawrencematos7493]

What can I do for heavy condensation in my dryer? The exhaust pipe is very short cause the dryer is next to the exterior wall .

[@PlumbNutz]

You have some sort of restriction in the ductwork. It's very good that it's a short run, usually the problem like this is because the run is too long. Most likely the problem is the flex duct in the back of the dryer between the wall connection is kinked

[@lawrencematos7493]

Great I appreciate the feedback, I’ll look at it tomorrow, the ductwork is only 8-10 inches long . And my dryer is only 1 1/2 year old .

[@kerryholt8267]

Great idea, the noise is driving me crazy, one was recently installed in my bathroom but it's upstairs, have no way of getting to it from the outside... No ladder and hate heights, so is there a way I can do that from the inside?

[@BJPoznecki]

It might be possible if you have a way to get access to it from inside. You could disconnect the pipe and maybe work from the inside of it, otherwise no, you would have to do it from the exterior side.

[@carolcaldwell]

How do we keep it from letting the cold wind into the house, though?

[@BJPoznecki]

Use self adhesive foam weatherstrip around the whole circle of the flap. Plus, your exhaust fan has a backdraft damper flap inside it to minimize the cold air coming back in as well. Self Adhesive Foam Tape Weatherstrip 1/2In x 1/4In x 42Ft High Density Foam Insulation Strips Foam Seal Weather Stripping with Strong Adhesive for Door and Window Sound Isolation Soundproofing a.co/d/hqajlS6

[@bobnatale874]

My upstairs bathrooms are making the flapping noise, but it sounds like it’s coming right above the fan. Is there a flapper by the fan? Or do I have to locate in the attic or exterior?

[@BJPoznecki]

Hi Bob- Yes, most exhaust fans do you have a Backdraft damper on them. However, typically most people don’t have an issue with that flapper on the fan unless there is a missing flapper on the exterior exhaust vent, so I would check both.

[@chrism9294]

As I lay here at one in the morning trying to sleep, I definitely know the flapping noise is coming directly from my bathroom fan. It is driving me insane and led me to KZbin for solutions. I will definitely check both tomorrow because I can’t deal with the noise all night.

[@BJPoznecki]

@@chrism9294 Let us know what you find?

[@charlesrodriguez7984]

@@chrism9294what brand is your fan? Many of the broan nutone fans have a plastic flap to keep air out so you’re hearing that be sucked open and blowing closed.

[@Laura-Ransan]

What about a vent that not only has the tapping noises but also lets in cold air on a windy day? How would you fix that?

[@BJPoznecki]

Try adding weight to the flapper by gluing a dime or nickel on the inside of it to hold it down.

[@Laura-Ransan]

@@BJPoznecki thank you!

[@BJPoznecki]

@@Laura-Ransan My pleasure!

[@marylemke6001]

Hi BJ, like your video on a flapping dryer vent. I have another problem that I am looking for an answer for. The bathroom fan does such a good job venting that in winter the exhaust drops and freezes on the pargeing below the vent. What do you recommend to protect the pargeing?

[@BJPoznecki]

Thank you Mary! Well parging is typically a concrete mix that should be resilient to the moisture coming out of the vent, so you should be fine if there’s some frost or ice buildup. The only thing I can think of is making a some type of deflector that covers the wall right under the vent so the condensation doesn’t build up on the wall itself. Hope that helps!

[@marylemke6001]

@@BJPoznecki thank you. That is what I was thinking too, but what material to use and how to attach. Will figure it out. Thank you!

[@BrandenFraski]

Solved the tapping but now the vent doesn’t seal.

[@lumu1692]

Hello, my bathroom vents start making water tapping sounds from when it starts to rain. Assuming those are just raindrops hitting , is there a way to fix that?

[@BJPoznecki]

The only thing that comes to mind is if they’re metal vents is changing them to plastic might help.

[@ImpulsoCreativo9322]

thanks so much. what to do if the flapper never closes completely? and what can I put on to keep spiders out?

[@BJPoznecki]

If the flap is not closing all the way you may need to mess around with it and see why exactly it’s not closing all the way. Maybe try adding a little bit of weight to the flapper or lubricating the hinges. As far as keeping the spiders out I would put a mesh screen material over the opening of the hood vent.

[@ImpulsoCreativo9322]

@@BJPoznecki thanks a ton for great suggestions and God bless.

[@BJPoznecki]

@@ImpulsoCreativo9322 My pleasure, god bless, and good luck with those 🕷😱🤣

[@RestWithin]

@@BJPoznecki I have the same problem with my horizontal plastic extractor ducting, the gravity flap (just like the one in your video) should close but is always open. I believe this is because the warmer air inside the house keeps the flap open even when it’s not windy. You can feel the warm air escaping past the flap. The kitchen is cold and heat is being wasted even when the cooker hood extractor fan is off! Any ideas?

[@BJPoznecki]

@@RestWithin It’s hard to say why the flap is not closing. I would have a heating and air-conditioning contractor get involved because maybe they can put in another gravity damper inside the hood to help keep the warm air in the home, and cold air from coming back in the ductwork.

[@HangryPandaMike]

Good video. Just need to get my butt on the roof since thats where the exhaust fan is at 🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[@BJPoznecki]

😂 Just be careful up there Mike!

[@joerebelo2892]

Why don't they come with some form of noise reduction?

[@BJPoznecki]

Not sure Joe 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@charlesrodriguez7984]

@@BJPoznecki the roof mounted vents also make this Same noise but they seem to close softer.

[@Peter.Scaife]

Cause the seal won't be as good, allowing for outside air in... Not good in cold climates

[@SmokeySkies]

I can't find the vent outside

[@BJPoznecki]

It’s possible you could be hearing the backdraft flap inside the exhaust fan. I’ve seen where that flap inside the exhaust fan can make a tapping noise as well.

[@SmokeySkies]

@@BJPoznecki can i reach it ? Cause it does sound like it's near

[@LygerTheCLaw]

how to create an air leak and allow bugs in your house in 1 easy step.

[@BJPoznecki]

@@LygerTheCLaw That is possible. However, most exhaust vents have a screen so bugs can’t get in; and the exhaust fan also has a gravity damper inside it that closes when it’s not running.

[@slipperyslope3912]

Mickey mouse attempt. Needs a durable proper design.

[@ureasmith3049]

Mickey mouse is all that's needed sometimes.

[@juicyjc02]

Doesn’t help at least not with mine. Taped it shut for now.

[@BJPoznecki]

Well, not sure where you live, however I’m in Chicago and just this last week we’ve had gusts over 50 mph. When we have times of extreme wind sometimes adding cushion to the flapper may not help. Another thing that might help is gluing a nickel or a dime on the flapper to give it a little bit more weight, so it doesn’t open and close as easily when the wind blows.

[@shordowop]

What does it mean if the cold air that's making the flapper bang is also blowing into the microwave and coming out of the exhaust under the microwave. ( over top the stove)?