Automatic Timer Switch

By Todd Fratzel on Electrical, Energy Conservation

In a previous post,Energy Star Qualified Home, I discussed the importance of good ventilation in a well built, “tight” home. I also pointed out that one of the best ways to make sure you’re ventilating the moist air out of your home was to use some type of automatic timer.

I’ve finally decided to install a few of these in our new home. I’m going to install them in each of the three bathrooms. I’ve always been a big fan of Leviton products so I ordered three 6260M-W model timers from Leviton. These timers have four preset lengths of 10, 20, 30 and 60 minutes.

The idea here is to hit one of the buttons to turn on the exhaust fan and it will continue to run for the time chosen and then automatically shut off. Not only is this a great way to make sure you run the fan long enough but it’s also a great way to make sure you don’t waste electricity by forgetting to turn the fan off.

Once I get the switches I’ll do a post about how to install them and what I think of their performance.

About the author

Todd Fratzel

I'm full time builder for a large construction company in New Hampshire. I run their design-build division that specializes in custom homes, commercial design-build projects and sub-divisions. I'm also a licensed civil and structural engineer with extensive experience in civil and structural design and home construction. My hope is that I can share my experience in the home construction, home improvement and home renovation profession with other builders and home owners. I'm also the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Tool Box Buzz. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, suggestions or you'd like to inquire about advertising on this site.

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3 Comments

  1. Dieta says:

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  2. Fred@OPC says:

    Comment spam – this stuff is everywhere… seems like the comment spammers have more tools than ever.

    Anyhow, now for a real comment: I think the timed switches are a good idea, esp. for the bathroom fan. I used a timed switch to control aquarium lights for a long time – it was a different model than this though (allowed 10 different “on” and “off” times throughout the week). The thing fried in 8 months… so I got another — that one fried in another 8 months. Hopefully you’ll have better luck.

  3. Anita says:

    What a fantastic idea! These would really really come in handy around here with all the kids who just can’t bring themselves to flip off a light switch when they leave the room. I also can’t help but think of all the times I’ve been outside relaxing on the patio at night when I notice a light left on in some remove and unoccupied upstairs room. I always cringe to think of just how long it could have been on before I noticed it. Thanks, Todd. Definitely on the ‘to buy’ list.

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