Customer Reviews

Broan 679 Ventilation Fan and Light Combination

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

In my case this was basically a straight swap of one unit for it's newer twin. The instructions were perfect and the hardware and brackets were correct.
The fan has been up and running for almost two months now and is quiet and efficient.

Good fan for the price. The manufacturer made changes in it, you can no longer replace the motor or any of the insides as you could to previous models made by this company. It works nice, just a bit more noise than I'd like.

You have to insert some plastic buffers in between the light cover the plastic air intake to stop the vibrating sound. But it is easy to install and looks good.

My wife and I installed fan in about an hour. Expected noise problem after reading review. Very quiet, attractive, excellent value. Instructions in so many languages, be careful. Tip, the light assembly installs in the housing, the wiring cover is tricky.

Tom, Little River, SC.

First, I bought this from a local big box store but it's the same model number and brand. I'm leaving review to help prospective buyers in their decision making.

This model require access to the attic in order to be able to install it properly. It's definitely not doable from the bottom of the ceiling alone. This is the kind that the housing requires direct screwing into the ceiling joist. Other models have separate brackets from the housing. This model however doesn't have that separate bracket/mount that makes installation from the bottom possible.

Installation was a breeze. It was my first time installing an exhaust fan but I did my homework though before I went for it. It took me, a handy amateur, 2 & 1/2 hours to complete the installation. That includes opening the box, reading the installation guide, googling clarifications, getting in and out of the attic, planning placement of the hole, sawing the holes, wiring, screwing the housing, connecting ducts, then from the bottom, installing the covers. I had help though as eyes from the bottom while doing my sawing and also occasional handing me forgotten tools while in the attic. I used only basic amateur tools in the entire process.

After initial assembly it had some rattle/vibration noise. Like what others have mentioned, this model makes some annoying noise. The pieces/parts are loose after assembly. These loose joints rattle like tin can if not addressed. I was able to eliminate 95% of the rattling by adding/placing dots of rubber material here and there. I used white caulking as my rubber material and placed about 6 dots of it here & there.

After loose joints were tightened, it became a true 2.5 sones exhaust. Not the quietest neither the loudest. For the price, it's the best you can buy.

Recommendation:

NOT RECOMMENDED for people not willing to troubleshoot after installation.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for people willing to troubleshoot the rattling after installation.

We put this fan in as a new installation. It did the job but for its size it's noisy - could be the loose fit of the plastic grille. After about 6 months the fan quit, though the light continued to work. We finally got around to checking it out yesterday and the problem is the unit itself, not the wiring to the switch as we'd hoped. For much less than a year of use I feel this Broan fan was a terrible value.

Amazon's description is deceptive and fraud-based. The description clearly indicates that this fan has a 100 watt light and a 7 watt nightlight. You find out, however, upon receipt, that that option is only available on one of the 3 options, so the main description is, in fact, untrue. This fan, as shown, has a 100 watt light. There is no nightlight. If you wanted the product that is described, you would have to purchase a round light, which, if you read the reviews, is so noisy, that you have to shim the cover to keep it from rattling. So, the fan that is described, is actually quite a bit more expensive than the fan depicted.

I bought this product to replace the one that was installed in my bathroom but made too much noise. 6 month later and this one is making the same racket. The motor bearings develope too much slop which causes vibration. Trying to shim the duct and/or reflector is useless. Don't waste your money.

Though delivery was delayed due to massive Midwest snowstorms (how many did we get in 2011?) this fan was very welcome in steamy Savannah, where the old 60 CFM fan never seemed to clear the air. 100 CFM can overcome even the steamiest hot shower. Since I had another, older model Broan/Nutone, I could avoid crawling in the attic by following the Upgrade instructions[...]. It was simple to upplug the old fan, tilt the motor out of the housing and pop the new one in. It works well and looks more attractive than the old square 60 CFM fan with the rattling light cover. I only wish that I'd chosen this fan when the house was last rennovated.

I am very disappointed with the vibration of the light reflector. The unit is mounted fine and exhibits no vibration. Attaching the light fixture introduces the vibration. Poor design and the noise is distracting. I would not purchase again and would not recommend this product to anyone.