Options for venting a bathroom exhaust fan include best to worst.
Venting bathroom fan through roof.
Going to the soffet is 12 feet.
In order to accomplish this the roof has to have a hole cut in it.
Choice is go up to roof 5 6 feet or out the present vent 15 18 feet with insulated pipe or shorten the line by going straight to side of home but this requires going up high with latter to drill a new vent hole as tight quarters in attic prevent drilling from attic.
Behind a gable vent.
Leave the drill bit sticking through the roof so you can find the hole.
From inside the attic drive a nail through the roof directly above the bathroom vent fan.
See below for a shopping list and tools subscribe.
Try to keep it close to the fan location.
Behind a soffit vent.
It is because of this that many builders tend to advise against this method.
Start in the attic and drill a hole through the roof in the desired vent location.
Through the roof or an exterior gable wall.
This involves running ductwork from the fan usually though an attic and out through the roof.
Robert s has the largest base flange of any bath roof vent cap which makes it super easy to install and make watertight on the roof.
No need for special tool.
From up on the roof use a jigsaw or reciprocating saw to cut a 4 in.
This old house general contractor tom silva shows how to properly install a roof mounted bath fan vent.
From the roof find the nail and use the utility knife to cut roof shingles from around the nail.