Extractor Fan Bathroom

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I have a small/medium bathroom and the steam & condensation problem is a nightmare despite having a large & small window. Mould grows quick. I researched online and found a lot of helpful info, ( thanks PigletJohn ) and opted for the Turbo Tube Pro 100 (4 inch inline fan and timer) extraction rate 245m3/hr which an electrician put in the loft, above the double shower. The fan runs 30 mins after light goes off. There is a small gap under the door to allow some air in the bathroom and we keep door and windows closed. Heating is usually on in bathroom as it’s winter.

The claim manufacturer makes is the fan will take out the steam before it has time to condense...

Now, that’s either a total lie. Or, the fan is faulty. But, how do you know which? What can I be checking or doing?

Steam situation is better than it was, but it is no way clear in the bathroom and after two showers (no more than 30 mins using shower in total) there are water droplets on the ceiling, the tiled walls and surfaces. The shower door, windows and mirror still steam up. Even after the 30 mins of the fan going after the shower use ends, it’s still damp in there.

I have to open the window up, use squeegee and a cloth etc.

I had rather hoped that spending £££s on fan and professional electrician that we would see a significant improvement. Especially with a high rate of extraction. But looks like I will still have to mop up a lot each and every time. What was the point?

Is this to be expected? Are the manufacturers over exaggerating the claims? Is the fan likely broken? Should I feel a lot of suction through the vent in the bathroom? What can I do?

I would need to pay electrician another call out to fit a replacement fan, so I don’t want to do that if it’s not going to help.

Thoughts? Much appreciation in advance.

Do you have anything in the bathroom (door or window) slightly open while showering?

Extractor fans generally need to be able to get fresh replacement air from somewhere, in order to push the steamy air out.

We have a good extractor fan but still have the window a crack open while showering. The steamy air won’t clear without opening a window.

There is a small gap under the door to allow some air in the bathroom and we keep door and windows closed.

Sorry just saw this bit.

Maybe that gap isn’t enough.

You need to leave the window open. A small gap under the door isn't going to cut it I'm afraid.

Thanks Minipie & Cavagirl. I will give that a go next time. I thought i’d read you should keep doors and windows shut, but that a small gap under the door was plenty.

Hope so much that this helps.

Minipie, you said you have a good extractor fan - do you still have to wipe down surfaces or use squeegee?

No - with the window an inch open and the fan on we don’t really get condensation, or if we do it clears itself very quickly.

Actually even just the window a bit open prevents much condensation building up (I hate the fan noise even with a quiet one so avoid using it)

We use a squeegee on the shower screen but that’s more about preventing limescale build up

We don't even bother having a fan. When showering we have a large and small top window open along with the radiator j less it is summer. We leave the small window open all the time. Don't have any problems with condensation as all cleared after 10 mins.

Don't reply in fans!

I think fans help but leaving the window open for a few hours after showering does the bulk of the de-steaming ime

Thanks all. This has been getting me down and I’m sick of the condensation and mould (even with both windows open). Hopefully the fan will help.

What if you do not have a bathroom window?

What age is your house OP?

@Cavagirl house is from 1980s. The bathroom looks like it’s been redone maybe about 5-6 years ago. So it’s not dated. It is all tile, so i dont know if that is the reason.

Ah ok so it shouldn't be too chilly naturally, not like Victorian single skin walls or something. But yes 100% tile will obviously be creating a cold surface for the water to condense on everywhere, so not ideal to get dry.
Try with the window fully open & fan and see if it helps. Hope so.x

@Cavagirl thank you for your time and helpful insight x

you're actually better with the door and window shut, so that replacement air enters through the gap under the door. This is because water vapour is lighter than air and will naturally rise towards the ceiling extractor, and the fresh air will tend to stratify below it until it has filled the room.

Condensation on tiled walls suggests they are rather cold. I fund a noticeable improvement when I had CWI installed (also beefed up the loft insulation and fitted a bigger radiator) so the bathroom is now generally warmer. I get condensation on the window in frosty weather, but not the walls or mirror.

it is also possible to use foamed insulation boards behind the tiles, but this would be a big job unless you were stripping outthe bathroom for a refit.

Check the effectiveness of the extractor by holding a joss-stick or smouldering fag under it. The smoke should be whisked away and detectable outside the vent. In cold water steam may be visible blowing out. If you hold a tissue under the fan, it should be sucked up and held against the grille. Sometimes people fit the non-return flap the wrong way round, or a duct connector comes loose.

250 cu.m/hr is pretty good so it's disappointing the results are poor. Was it better in summer?

That’s what I thought, that the door and window should be shut. There is a small gap under the door. But when the doors and windows are closed fully, boy... it’s like a steam room in there. When the two windows are open (1/4 of the way), it seems it can do the job better, or is it just the window open meaning steam escapes that way?

Still having to squeegee and wipe down after showers and mould is growing on the ceiling as that is wet. It’s pretty tricky to get up at the ceiling on a daily basis to wipe it down.

I don’t know now whether to get another electrician come in to check the non return flap or duct connectors. Is it safe for me to do this would you say? I will try holding a tissue under the vent.

Yes, the mould situation is far less in the summer, so perhaps it’s just cold tiles and no matter how powerful the fan it will still get steamy and mouldy??

We are thinking to change the whole bathroom. So insulating the walls is a helpful pointer. Maybe also heating underfloor. Is there anything else we can do to avoid mould?

Thanks very much for your input. It is much appreciated.

Just to add that the fan was only put in last week so we haven’t used it in the summer yet but the mould problem is better in warmer times of year. We do have the heating on before and during shower time in winter

So can you see the fan extracting if you hold something like incense/jos stick under it? When you have a chimney re-opened or maybe after not using it for ages, then a 'smoke test' is done to check the chimney is working.

Ours got much better when we put insulation in and changed out the towel rail for a radiator and towel rail and underfloor heating. The whole bathroom was being redone though - so put in as much insulation as we could.

@PigletJohn @GiraffeNecked @sbplanet

Thanks for your replies. So, I have done the tissue test and it does stick to the grille. I also tried the incense stick and although it’s a little hard to tell as the smoke rises upwards anyway, it looks to me like it is being pulled towards the grille.

Presumably that means that it is working and not faulty? This means that the non return flap has been put on right and duct connectors not loose? It was all installed just last week.

Is there anyway i can test how powerful the fan is, as in the manufactures claim of 245m3/hr?

I will look into insulating walls, maybe adding a radiator as well as towel rack.

I had just though after spending £150 on the fan & bits and £200 odd on electrician fee that we would see some good results.

At the moment i can leave the window open as i am home but once OH and i are back at work then we will have problems again.

Have quicker showers , less time in the shower = less steam .

We find that using a Karcher, to suck up the water off the tiles and shower screen after a shower helps a lot with the condensation in our en suite.

I think I'd try switching the fan to run permanently for a few days. Leave the door not tightly closed but open just a tiny crack. If that doesn't solve the problem there must be some kind of problem with airflow but I don't know what. Measure the gap under the door. Read the installation instructions in case your model has a high and low speed and has been wired as low, observe and photograph the ducting and both vents in case there is an error or constriction. Verify that the fan fitted is the one you ordered.

If it was me I would climb into the loft and pull the duct off the fan to see if I could work out where the trouble is, but you must re-attach it tightly. Did the installer core-drill the wall? How long is the duct?

P.s.

And I would actually take the non-return shutter off and inspect it.

Sorry if I missed it. Where is the outlet ? Can you see steam coming out on a cold morning? Is there something blocking the duct or grille? When we moved in our fan was just discharging into the loft. Much better now ducted to outside. I think you should get your electrician to check, no ventilated bathroom should be mouldy.