Hunter 80705 Garden District Brushed Nickel Bath Exhaust Fan and Light (Vent)

I have an old house, so this fixture is great for our 1920s style bathroom. We had an older Nutone fan light from around 2001 that we replaced with this one. The Nutone model didn't hold up very well as the finish was corroding and the fan was caked with dust that we just couldn't clean without taking the whole thing apart. The plenum box that goes into the ceiling cavity is the standard 8"x8" size, and connects to the standard sized vent duct. Getting the old one out proved extremely difficult since Nutone's box has nailing flanges on the outside. It was impossible to get it out of the ceiling cavity without making a mess of things.This fixture can be wired with separate switches for the fan and the light functions. It comes with joist hanger brackets for new construction or top accessible installations. The plenum box also comes with preloaded screws for retrofit installations where you are installing from underneath and have to screw into the side of a joist. This was my scenario. However I found the screws didn't bite into 90 year old lumber very well. I couldn't get them snug, and the heads stripped fairly easily. The box was not tight against the joist so it was wobbly. I instead substituted suitable drywall or deck screws which worked much better. I added a piece of wood blocking to the other side of my ceiling opening so I could fasten on 2 sides. Since I was installing this in an older house our ceiling had plaster and wood lath, and a layer of drywall laminated over that. This additional thickness posed a problem since the threaded studs the fixture comes with to mount the light fixture to the box were neither adjustable nor long enough. A metal collar that trims out the ceiling opening was also not deep enough and could not be adjusted to accommodate the ceiling thickness. To make matters more challenging, the main threaded rod that the light fixture screws onto is not lamp thread. So if you go to the local electric supply house or big box store to get some extra parts, the threads are not compatible with typical light fixture parts.I ended up going to my local hardware store with light fixture finial/nut in hand. We tried several things and ultimately we found a coupling and threaded stud that worked. I rigged them up as an extension to get through my ceiling thickness and used some sheet metal and tin snips to form a new metal collar around the opening. This worked very well and I was able to hang the light fixture easily. I was pleasantly surprised that the diameter of the light fixture canopy was large enough to cover the damaged ragged margin of the hole from removing the old fixture.To finish off the look, I installed LED Edison exposed filament bulbs. It looks great, and the fan purrs like a kitten. My only criticism is that they should use lamp threaded fasteners, and design more adjustments to accommodate more ranges of installations/ ceiling types.

Very quiet. I actually have to hold my breath to hear if the fan is running. This is gorgeous, and exactly what I was looking for aesthetically.I have installed two of these units now, the first of these bath fan combos as a direct replacement for a disgusting fan/light combo that was in the house when I bought it. Full bath is 40sq ft with 8’-6” ceiling height. Half bath/laundry is 70sq ft with 10’-0” ceiling height.Full disclosure: I live in a 120 year old Folk Victorian farmhouse, no installation is simple and there is always something that has to be modified on the fly. I installed this myself, I’m pretty handy (work in const. but not an electrician or carpenter).The first issue I had was the length of the threaded rod that the decorative lock nut threads onto to secure the fixture. It is just too short! Like a single thread would make all the difference. The flange of the housing needs to be below the drywall not quite flush. The included aluminum bracing attaches to the top of the housing on one side and to the bottom of the housing on the other. Using the included bracing I could not get the housing low enough. I had to disassemble and uninstall the entire fixture, drop the unit by 1/2”, use 2x4’s to screw the housing to. Downstairs, was a new install so to avoid the conflict with the structure I screwed the housing directly to the joists. However, I have existing 1/2” T@G wood beadboard attached to the bottom of my floor joists with 5/8”drywall attached directly to the wood. This was way too thick and I had to modify the installation again. Similar issue to what I had upstairs but this was ceiling thickness versus framing/structure conflicts. Really if the rod was like an 1/8” longer it would have solved a lot of issues.This fan/light combo really took the bathroom decor to a whole new level. I loved it so much I decided to install the same in the downstairs toilet/laundry room. The upstairs bath is a full bath with tub/shower and moisture is an issue. This is where I did knock a star off, as mentioned in other reviews I have also noticed rust forming on the brushed nickel ceiling plate. This room is small with a lower ceiling (8’-6”)and that may contribute to the moisture. Also, I knock the lights when I’m getting ready since they hang down... still love this so much. The downstairs toilet/laundry has 10’-0” ceilings and is only a half-bath with the washer/dryer. Moisture is not an issue in this room but I did want this to help with the musty smell from the front load washer. This is also the bathroom guests use and this light really kicked the design up a notch.I used some LED light bulbs and the light from this fixture is bright and cool. It really lights up the room so it’s perfect for doing make-up and getting ready for work in the morning. It is quiet and that is very nice, but with the moisture issues I am not sure it is strong enough to move enough air.Pro’s:Bright lightQuiet fanDecorative appearanceCons:Tight Installation constraints (retrofit install modifications needed)Rust formingCeiling height conflictsDoesn’t seem to move enough air

The fan unit looks stunning. It runs quietly and provides very bright lighting. As my bathroom tends to be damp, I sprayed a clear lacquer on all metal parts prior to attaching the glass pendants and installing the unit. It should protect it from rusting, an issue reported by a small number of other reviewers.

I bought this for our bathroom renovation project, and it looked fantastic for a month. Here we are month two and it has begun rusting. I would not have purchased this product if I knew it would need to be replaced in two months. Even if I wanted to return it I'd be out installation and removal amount. I DO NOT recommend this product, unless it is a toilet room only.

Looks really great and fan is quiet. A very nice upgrade to replace the builders standard flush mount. I used 40w equivalent led bulbs and it is plenty of light. Thinking of getting a dimmer switch just to allow for lower brightness for ambiance when using the tub/shower before bed. It wasn't too large at all for my secondary bathroom. I was worried when ordering, but it is not as big looking once installed. I have 9' ceilings but 8' ceilings should be OK as well. It doesn't hang down too much.

I wanted something different than your standard boring bathroom fan, but was mostly concerned with getting enougu light in my modern black bathroom. I would have given a 5-star review, but the install was a little tougher than I had anticipated. This is a HEAVY light with a large motor housing, it required some additional supports installed in my rafters which cost a bit more for install than I had anticipated. However I could not have found a better product for what I needed

love this fan and light-you now walk into the elegant bathroom without noticing there is a fan at all-quiet-looks wonderful in an older home with a remodelled bathroom reno-worth the money