A good, quiet bathroom extractor fan

[stargirl04]

Hi,

I was in my local electrics shop and the assistant recommended this amazingly silent fan, Vent-Axia Silent, and demonstrated it. It is virtually silent. I almost bought it there and then but said I'd think about it and scuttled home to look at the reviews on Amazon:

www.amazon.co.uk/Vent-Axia-446659-Silent-Fan-VASF100T/dp/B006TGCLBA/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

It turns out that the fan is very quiet - but only on the low setting, and does not extract much moisture, only doing so when switched on to the higher, noisier setting, according to many of the reviews.

Having said that, Vent-Axia is a good brand, and may still be better than my current extractor, which is so noisy it's like listening to roadworks. (Bit of an exaggeration, but it is very noisy - does do the job though, eventually.)

So there's another fan I'm interested in that does get good reviews:
www.amazon.co.uk/Envirovent-Silent-Bathroom-Extractor-Humidistat/dp/B00E7UXIVM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1444748959&sr=8-2&keywords=envirovent+silent

Does anyone have any knowledge/experience of either product, or can anyone recommend an alternative please?

My bathroom has no windows so an efficient fan is vital.

Many thanks!

The new generation of fans includes many that are very quiet. Additionally, cheap fans wear out and get noisy with age.
Builders usually fit poor-quality cheap fans. A weak fan will need to be run for longer. The best way is to have it wired to come on with the light switch, and with a delay timer so it runs on until it has cleared the air. Electricity costs are negligible, but some people have an aversion to ventilation, or spend more time grumbling about a worn-out fan than they do getting a new one.

Small surface-mounted fans (usually 100mm duct diameter) are not very powerful. 80 cu.m per hour is all you can expect, which is not enough for a shower. If that is its rated output and it is too weak, you would need a larger fan. This may be more difficult to fit.

If you are fitting a fan on an outside wall, you can have the hole made in 150mm diameter, and fit a fan of twice the power.

A proper vendor will disclose the nominal extract rate of the product in cu.m/hr and the noise in db so you can compare them.

The best bathroom fans are IMO ducted inline fans, typically of three times the power. They are however somewhat larger and unsightly. They are most often fitted above the ceiling out of sight, which is fairly easy if you have a loft, though the duct must exhaust the steam to the outside.

22 litres per second is about 80 cu.m per hour and is the weakest fan. It will work if you run it all the time the bathroom is in use, unless you have steamy showers, when it will be inadequate.

you say your bathroom has no windows. Is the fan in the ceiling or the wall? A photo would help.

Hi Piglet John, nice to hear from you. I will have a good look at these, however, I admit that I'm a bit confused by it all.

My current fan is in the ceiling. Don't know if I'm allowed to put one in the wall because I am only a leaseholder, rather than the freeholder.

I would prefer to keep the work minimal and therefore would prefer one I can fit in the ceiling. So I could use these round fans in my ceiling, then, on the link you've posted?

Hope you are well.

is it a flat, or a house?

Are the floors concrete but the ceilings sound hollow? Are the ceilings in panels, or plastered in one piece?

Hi Piglet John, I live in a 2nd floor purpose built flat, built about 10 years ago, which is run by a management company. I think the floors are concrete. The ceilings are plastered in one piece and sound hollow.

so there is probably a false ceiling suspended from the concrete above, with a duct running in the void.

Unless you are keen on DIY, you might do better to find an electrician on one of the Self Certification schemes such as NICEIC. As well as postcode search, look for one who does commercial work (not just a "Domestic Installer" which is the minimum qualification, and when phoning say you think you have a duct above a suspended ceiling and ask for a quote.

The point is that it may be hanging from some kind of support and there may be fireproofing or soundproofing material. Somebody who works in shops, offices and new build will be familiar with it. They are not common in houses.

If you can get a 240cu.m/hr ducted inline fan that would be great. Adding a remote speed controller may double the cost. The Soler & Palau ones from my previous link are fairly new to the UK market, but seem to be well-made and very quiet. Familiarise yourself with the prices. It is usual for an electrician to supply the materials and add a mark-up, to cover the cost of guaranteeing the whole job. Ask if that will be included.

Thanks Piglet John. From my recollection, when I get into the loft, which is part-boarded, there is a duct running from the floor of the loft up to the roof (I think).

I would be happy to hire an electrician, but really appreciate your tip about finding one that does "commercial and domestic", and your product recommendations. I would rather pay more for something good that does the job than spend less and end up with something useless.

Really appreciate your input - many thanks!

if you have a loft, it will be easier than I thought, and there should be plenty of room for the wiring. Ask for the inline fan to be mounted on a thick ply board, fixed to the roof timbers so it can't vibrate. It is useful to put rubber washers between the ply and the timbers, and under the screw heads. Black tap washers will do.