Bathroom exhaust venting does not have to exit up through the roof and in fact that s not necessarily even the best termination.
Bathroom duct to attic gable vent.
First off you ll be reducing the size of the gable vent.
A 3 or 4 inch duct connects to the outlet on the fan housing and runs to a side wall or to the roof and connects to a vent cap that allows the exhaust to disperse outdoors.
The best way to vent bathroom fans is with schedule 20 bell end drain pipe.
Depending on how the attic ventilation is designed the hot moist air exhausted from the duct could be drawn back into the attic through the gable vent.
Whatever area you block with the exhaust duct is a reduction in the area of the gable vent.
If you vent the bathroom exhaust fan to close to the soffit vents which are vented plates under your homes outer edge and roof your home the air can be sucked right back into the attic from the soffit.
When venting a bathroom exhaust fan make sure to vent the air to the outside rather than into your attic where it can cause mold and mildew to form.
No you cannot vent the bathroom exhaust fan into the soffit vents.
An exhaust vent fan can exhaust out through a gable end side wall or out through a soffit overhang.
Bathroom exhaust fans perform an important function by removing excess moisture from your home.
And of course a bathroom with a window doesn t require an exhaust vent.