Acceptable Venting of Bathroom Fan

I am installing a new bathroom fan in a location that allows for a 6 inch duct to head out of the side of the house. The unit has an exhaust this pointed 90 degrees in the wrong direction. I could turn the unit 180 degree but I would still be putting a 90 degree bend in the duct. I was thinking about noise from the ducting so I did not want to put too many bends in. It occurred to me that a length of insulated 6" flexible duct might be a good option. Seems like it would get the job done and might dampen some sound.

A couple of notes, the fan is well over sized for the room and also has a light and heater. It should get the job done regardless of the ducting me ideal or adjusted. The unit is superposed to be very quiet in the first place and this location is not critically quiet but I would like to take full advantage of the it capabilities. I am considering installing a second unit in another bathroom that really needs a bigger and quieter unit.

 

Why the side of the house? The problem with this is if it's under the soffit it could be putting moist air into the attic and going through the roof would solve your elbow problem. Flexible duct does not support the same movement of air as rigid.

 

Mine goes out the side of the house but on a gable end, not the soffit. I can't say for sure without going in the attic to verify but I'm thinking I used a short piece of flex and then hard pipe about 12' to the gable. I'm also thinking it was 4" Never had any issues in the 3-4yrs it's been in use.

 

I agree with Stickshift, go through the roof.

 

Roof, side, or soffit all are acceptable as long as you use the correct duct.

Do not discharge into the attic.

You wont hear the noise of the air flowing in the duct no matter how quiet the fan, the fan will always be the noise maker so just get the simplest direct route.

Use insulated duct, get that moist air out of the house before it condenses in to water!