Mould - Bathroom extractor fan ceiling or wall

[BumWad]

We are about to get our bathroom done in our 1905 red brick property. It's a typical small family bathroom, at the moment the ceiling is absolutely covered in mould spots which I am sick of cleaning.

We will be buying a new extractor fan however I keep getting told the fan needs to go on the ceiling to do its job not on the wall where it currently is. The only problem is we are putting the bathroom in on a budget and are not sure what kind of works it will take to put a fan in the ceiling and having it vented out.

One bathroom fitter who came to quote has told us that you can still put a fan in the ceiling without having to duck and vent it. So in essence he's saying the steamy hot air will go into the loft and then dissipate. Will this not ruin the wooden beams in the loft being an old Edwardian semi or is this reasonable?

Or are we better sticking to the wall fan and to keep on top of the mould cleaning?

[PigletJohn]

if you have room above the ceiling, usually in a loft, you can put a much better fan up there than will go on the wall. It can be quieter and more powerful.

they are fairly big and unsightly, but that will not matter. You need a duct, preferably rigid not a big hose, to take the steam away and outside the house, through the eaves, or a hole drilled in a gable wall, or if necessary a vent tile (get a proper roofer to fit it or it may leak)

for example read the reviews. Compare the throughput and the noise figures. There are some little cheap ones that are useless.

A typical bathroom wall fan has a capacity of about 80 cu.M/hr but you can get twice or three times that in a ducted inline fan. Preferably it should be wired to come on with the light switch and run on for 20 minutes after use. If you have no shower, a shorter run time will do.

Electricians usually fit them.

[PigletJohn]

hahaha

I just read that joke about venting the steam into the loft. My sides are splitting. Your bathroom fitter is obviously a comedian. Or possibly an incompetent bodger.

[BumWad]

Thanks Piglet John!

I knew something didn't ring right when he said that. The link you have sent, I will have to buy the extractor fan plus the kit won't i? Just worried about the extra costs compared to just fitting a new wall fan in.

[Blueskies80]

Definitely don't have the steam escaping into the loft!
When we moved previous owners had installed a useless fan at foot height in our shower room and gaps around top of door which let steam into the loft... Que a very damp loft which we had to dry with a dehumidifier over some weeks and left us concerned about the integrity of the roof given all the moisture up there (thankfully touch wood it was just the shower steam). Definitely go for a realy powerful extractor fan in the ceiling and have it vent outside. Ours goes via loft in a tube and then out. Our fan cost about £50/60 not sure about fitting costs but it is really worth it to do it properly, otherwise you will end up with damp patches and mould.. Good luck.