How to Replace Your Bathroom Exhaust Fan Light Bulb (Step by Step)

Most bathroom exhaust fans have a built-in light that keeps your bathroom well ventilated and illuminated. While these light and fan combos are incredibly convenient, replacing the light bulb may seem like a confusing and complicated process. However, it’s a simple task.

I’ll walk you through all of the steps you need to take to replace your exhaust fan light bulb quickly and efficiently. I’ll also give you some tips to help you do the job the easiest way possible.

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1. Gather Your Materials

You don’t need many tools or materials to change your bathroom exhaust fan’s light bulb. All you’ll need to do the job are:

A step stool to access the light
A flashlight to help you see the lightbulb socket
A screwdriver to remove the fan cover (for some exhaust fan models)
A new lightbulb that matches the size, wattage, and shape of your old one

You may also want to have a friend or family member help while changing the bulb, although you don’t necessarily need a helper. I find that having someone there to hand me tools and hold the flashlight while I change the bulb is the easiest way to fix up my fan. But I’ve done it alone many times with no problems.

You’ll also need to ensure that your bathroom is steam-free when you change the bulb since water can damage the bulb socket in your fan, making this job unsafe. So, it would be best to only change the bulb when your restroom is dry.

2. Cut Off the Electricity

Before you open up your exhaust fan to see what’s inside, you’ll need to turn off the power. That way, when you open up the outer cover of your light and remove the bulb, you can be sure that you won’t get electrocuted by any loose wires or moisture in your unit.

To cut off the electricity, go to your main circuit breaker and turn off the breaker switch that supplies power to your bathroom. That way, you won’t have to worry about any electrical problems when you open up your vent cover.

If you don’t want to turn off the electricity in your bathroom, you can still turn off the power switch connected to your fan.

However, if you only turn off the switch, you’ll need to be extra careful when handling the fan and keep water taps such as your sink and shower off while changing the bulb. That’s because water conducts electricity, and if your electrical wires come into contact with steam, they could become dangerous.

No matter how you choose to turn the power off, you may want to have a stool and a flashlight set up in your bathroom before you cut off the electricity to make the next few steps easier for you.

3. Remove the Fan Cover

Now that the electricity is cut off, you can get started with working inside the fan cover.

Removing the cover of your bathroom exhaust fan is arguably the most challenging part of changing your light bulb. That’s because each exhaust fan model has a different type of cover, and it’s often difficult to see the screws, clips, or nuts that hold the plastic or glass panel.

So, if you’re not sure where the fasteners that keep your fan’s cover on are, you may need to do a bit of troubleshooting.

Some of the most common types of panel fasteners include:

Screws: Look for screws on the outside of your exhaust fan cover near the plastic or glass panel that covers your light bulb. Just unscrew them to remove the cover and access the light bulb.
Nuts: Sometimes, your light cover might have a single nut in the center that secures it. If this is the case for you, unscrew the nut and remove the light bulb cover.
Clip-on covers: If your fan has a clip-on cover, the sides of the edging will probably wrap around the fan. To see if your fan has a clip-on panel, look for a plastic clip-on edge on the light bulb cover. To remove one of these covers, push the flat end of a screwdriver between the vent and the bulb cover and gently pry the plastic panel off.
Spring clamps: Some fans have spring clamps in them that allow you to pull the cover down, then unclip it. If you can’t find clip-on edging or screws on your bulb cover, you might have a spring clamp cover. If you do, gently pull down the light bulb cover. Some spring clamps only extend a couple of inches, so if you have one of these, you’ll need to unclip the cover by pinching the metal end of the clamps.

Once the cover is off, you should be able to see your light bulb.

5. Unscrew Your Old Bulb to See What Size and Watt It Has

Now that you’ve finished the hard part, it’s time to remove your burnt-out light bulb.

Unscrew the old light bulb from its socket. If your bulb is still warm, use a rag or a glove to take it out.

If you’ve replaced the light in your exhaust fan before, you might have some light bulbs in the right size, shape, and wattage lying around the house. However, if you haven’t changed it before, you must inspect the burnt-out light bulb and purchase one similar to the old one.

Ensuring that you get a new bulb with the correct wattage and plug-in shape is crucial since using the wrong one could cause overheating, electrical issues, and sometimes, a broken fan. So, be sure to get the best bulb for you.

6. Install the New Light Bulb and Check to See if It Works

Once you have your new light bulb ready, you can install it.

Insert the metal end of the bulb into the bulb socket and gently turn it until it fits snugly.

Once you’re sure the light bulb is in, you can turn the power back on to ensure it works. If the light comes on, you’re almost done.

If the light doesn’t light up, you may need to try another light bulb or screw yours in tighter. Turn the power back off, tighten the bulb, and see if that fixes it.

If that doesn’t fix the issue, inspect your light bulb and gently shake it. Do you hear a faint rattling sound when you shake the bulb? If so, the filament that glows when you turn the light on may have broken. You may want to get a new one and see if that works.

7. Replace the Fan Cover

Once the bulb is working, you can replace the fan cover and call it a day!

Replace the fan cover the same way that you removed it. Screw it in, clip it back on, secure the nut, or hook it back onto the spring clamps. Make sure you do this properly so the fan won’t start making noise.

Then, you can power up the exhaust fan to ensure that your light and fan both work.

Final Thoughts

Although replacing the light bulb in your bathroom exhaust fan might seem complicated, it’s straightforward, and almost anyone can do the job. It only takes a few steps and a bit of troubleshooting to make your bathroom brilliant, and if you follow this guide, you’ll never have to call a handyperson for help again.

Here’s how you can replace a bathroom exhaust fan light bulb: