Do you have an extractor fan in your bathroom?

[requiredusername]

Does everyone have an extractor fan in their bathroom these days?

We do not and rely on opening the window and leaving it open after the shower but it gets quite steamy in the room.

We are thinking of having an extractor fan installed. Can anyone explain how much work goes into installing them or a rough cost if you've done the same?

Will it stop the room getting so steamed up or will it just clear quicker?

Trying to avoid ceiling going mouldy.

[thegcatsmother]

We don't as the walls are too thick to have one installed.

[MrsBertBibby]

We have one as no window, but it was there when we moved in.

We still got very mouldy ceilings, but I registered only this morning that the anti-mould paint we used about 3 years ago is really doing its job, touch wood.

[Charliealphatangorara]

We have one that is in the ceiling and is then vented through a pipe in the loft out the roof. It's actually not very good, but I left it to the bathroom installer to choose and am wondering if he just got a cheap not very powerful one and am considering changing it soon. I'm afraid I don't know regarding cost, as it was part of a full refurbishment and was 5 years ago. The bathroom does still steam up when the shower is on, but not as bad as if we forget to put the fan on. Nothing beats the window being flung wide open, but as our bathroom is at the front of the house I don't like to do that for privacy reasons (not to mention the cold in the winter and bugs in the summer!)

I would say it's definitely worth getting one as it will at least show down the chances of mould even if it doesn't totally eradicate it. But do your research and get a decent one.

[rifling]

No, we just leave the window slightly open when having a shower.

[ClintBartonsWife]

We don't have one and had a new bathroom installed last year. Both supplier and installer said it was better to open the window. Our bathroom window is cracked open all year round and we don't have any mould.

[mdinbc]

A lot of older houses were built without extractor fans, but then people did not shower every day, or had to really limit hot water use. An open window may create a breeze, but will not eliminate all the steam.

It really is better for your house to eliminate the moisture (unless you live in an area with very low humidity). A good fan will stop the room from steaming up, and you should have one on a timer and leave it on for 20 minutes after showering. Costs will really depend on the situation and construction of your bathroom. Call a couple of contractors to get quotes.

[Roselilly36]

We have extractors in both of our bathrooms, I think they are good tbh. Makes much more of a difference than just opening in window.

We didn’t have extractors in our old house, and used to open the window, but who wants to do that when it’s freezing cold. I think the extractor option is better. The only disadvantage for me is when we use our en suite at night, and of course when the light is turned on so is the extractor, but you soon get used to it.

[icedcoffees]

No.

My house growing up had them though, and it was so much nicer than having to open a window in winter.

We're currently redoing our bathroom and we're getting an extractor fan installed!

[BaronessBomburst]

We shower with the door slightly open, especially in the winter when air in the house is so dry. In the summer we leave the eindiy open, but have a fly screen against the bugs.

[tallduckandhandsome]

We have one that is in the ceiling and is then vented through a pipe in the loft out the roof.

We have this too, but tend to open the window as it opens wide and is quicker ventilation.

My mum has hers vented through the bathroom wall to the outside, and it works much better than mine which is vented through a pipe in the loft. If you do get it done, go with the bathroom wall if possible, not loft.

Also, think about what kind of vent you want.

My mum’s comes on when she puts on the bathroom light, and stays on for about 6 minutes. This can get annoying so there is a mains switch outside the bathroom to switch off the extractor fan.

The one I have also comes on when I switch on the bathroom light, but it also has a pull cord, so I can switch it off if we don’t want the fan to come on.

[BaronessBomburst]

*window

[AlCalavicci]

I have ne in the celing that vents into the loft like PP , it comes on when I turn the light on and stays on for about 7 or 8 mins after the light is turned off . I hate the sodding thing its noisy and is not that good ( its at least 18 years old though ) .
I tend to keep it turned off at the mains as its to noisy to have on and a waste of electric when I have just been to the loo . If I am having a bath ( no shower ) I just keep the bathroom door open a bit , I wish I had a window but my bathroom is in the centre of the house with no outside wall .

[MatildaIThink]

We have fans and the bathroom does not steam up as much or go mouldy, and clears quickly after showering. They were installed when the bathrooms were done so can't give you a cost for what we paid. My Mum has one installed in a second bathroom when she had the en suite done and I think that cost around £150, but the workman was already on site so it might be cheaper because of that.

[requiredusername]

@tallduckandhandsome

We have one that is in the ceiling and is then vented through a pipe in the loft out the roof.

We have this too, but tend to open the window as it opens wide and is quicker ventilation.

My mum has hers vented through the bathroom wall to the outside, and it works much better than mine which is vented through a pipe in the loft. If you do get it done, go with the bathroom wall if possible, not loft.

Also, think about what kind of vent you want.

My mum’s comes on when she puts on the bathroom light, and stays on for about 6 minutes. This can get annoying so there is a mains switch outside the bathroom to switch off the extractor fan.

The one I have also comes on when I switch on the bathroom light, but it also has a pull cord, so I can switch it off if we don’t want the fan to come on.

Great advice thanks.

Our bathroom window is big and opens wide but doesn't suck the steam out.

[WeAllHaveWings]

We have one but never use it, we open the window instead.

[requiredusername]

We're also not looking to do the whole bathroom so I guess we will just lose a few tiles where it is installed.

[DrDreReturns]

Yes we have but I'm not sure it's been installed properly. I think it discharges into the loft space which causes condensation in the loft, so we don't use it and open a window instead. I need to get it changed so it discharges directly outside.

[candycane222]

It s definitely worth spending on a more powerful fan. A bigger fan will move more air, and counter-intiitively , it should also be quieter. You can also get fans that instead of whirring away for just 10 or 20 minutes, run very quietly, either al the time, or some can detect humidity and will automatically run until the bathroom is no longer damper than the rest of the house (10 mins is not enough to fully dry off the shower cubicle and towels etc after all).

If im using the window instead/as well, I only crack it open while im showering, then fling it wide once I m dry!

[WhatAWasteOfOranges]

They are worth having for sure. We installed two in our thick walled stone cottage when we renovated the bathrooms. You’ll need an electrician to run the wire from the light switch and install the unit and a builder to drill the hole/ make good etc.
The electrical part cost is £200 and not sure what the builder part would cost as he was here anyway.

[WhatAWasteOfOranges]

That’s £200 per bathroom but we are talking 300 year old stone cottage so a more awkward install than if your house is modern

[Quickchangeartiste]

We have, vented through the roof space and out the soffit, with a pile that looks like a tumble dryer vent.
Shower room was installed 8 years ago and no mould on the tiles or ceiling.
It’s a combined light/ vent over the shower and it has a separate switch from the rest of the room lights, so it doesn’t have to be on at night.
Also open the window regularly.

[milkysmum]

No, we open the window, generally have it open a crack all year round to be honest.
I've lived in houses with extractor fans before and I think opening the window is more effective.

[violetbunny]

Yes, we have one that vents via the loft. I normally use it while I'm showering, then leave the window open after I've finished showering. I find leaving the window open while the shower is on leads to more condensation because you have the steam from the shower mixing with cold air from outside.

[Peas252]

Extractor fan installations typically cost £500+

[HappyBackHome]

We are doing an extension with a new bathroom at the moment so I've been looking at this too. I have bought a Vent Axia extractor fan and some insulated aluminium flexible ducting from Screwfix and the fan will discharge via an (already fitted during the build) vented roof tile.

The fan was about £50, and the insulated duct about £60 (for 10 metres - we are connecting up a new cooker hood and existing en-suite extractor fan to two other tiles too though).

DH will fit ours - you need a core drill the appropriate size to go through either the wall or the ceiling, and if you're routing the duct through the ceiling and out via the loft/roof you need insulated duct.

You also need an isolation switch - either a pull cord in the bathroom or a switch outside and an electrical supply to the fan - this is usually off the lighting circuit - fitted by an electrician.

Fitting the fan is a case of drilling the hole, fitting the duct through it and attaching it to the fan housing, then sealing around the fan housing and the hole, and connecting the other end of the duct to the outlet wherever that is! Then making good around the hole - easier if on a painted wall than tiles I imagine (might need a diamond core hole cutter to cut through tiles too?).

There is a way of doing it by fitting an in-line fan in the loft, this draws the air from the bathroom and is supposedly much quieter (because the fan is further away) but it was a lot more expensive and I don't care about a bit of noise as long as there's no condensation/mould! You can also have an outlet in the soffits if you prefer, or a fan fitted in the window itself but I have no idea how that works as I didn't look into it!