Some older homes don’t have exhaust fans in the bathroom or kitchen. Others have old fans that are so noisy nobody ever turns them on.

Adding or upgrading exhaust fans can make a home safer and more comfortable.

An exhaust fan’s primary purpose is to remove moisture from the room. But they also remove bathroom and cooking odors and reduce fumes from cleaning chemicals.

Plus, they can save your paint. Excessive moisture on bathroom walls can cause paint to bubble, peel and chip. And the excess humidity that every shower you take creates can cause mold to accumulate.

Exhaust fans help prevent those problems.

So, invest in good ones, and hire a pro who knows how to install them properly. Choose a quiet model so it won’t annoy you when you turn it on.

And turn it off once the air in the room clears. As helpful as an exhaust fan is, it can suck the heated or air-conditioned air out of your home if you let it run after it has done its job of removing odors and humidity from your kitchen or bathroom.