Shower in a windowless bathroom?

[decorecor]

Please help me work out what to do with my bathrooms!

Our downstairs bathroom has no window due to the extension added by previous owners. It has no external walls anymore. It used to be the main bathroom (it's a bungalow style house but there are now bedrooms and a bathroom in what used to be the loft). Both bathrooms are small - the upstairs has sloping ceilings and has a bath with shower over though it's not ideal as you have to be careful not to hit your head as you step into the bath! It does have a window which is permanently open as the extractor fan, despite being new (we replaced it on moving in) and supposedly high end, doesn't seem to do much after even just one (admittedly quite long, when it's my turn) shower, never mind after 3 or more of us (family of 4 but youngest currently just has baths).

The downstairs just has a bath in it and it also has an extractor fan that doesn't do much and is steamy even after just one kid's bath! We need to redo both bathrooms ultimately, but can only afford one right now which will be the downstairs one. I thought we'd have to keep that one as just a bath due to the condensation from a shower, but the bathroom fitter I had out has said we could have a shower in there no problem as extractor fans have come a long way.

Is this realistic? Have we just got duff fans? Can they really clear the amount of steam from multiple hot showers without a window?

Layout wise, it would be ideal to have a nice walk in shower downstairs and a bath only upstairs (climbing in at the point where there is currently a shower screen - you wouldn't bump your head then as that's the high side). But ventilation wise, it feels like it wouldn't be possible.

Need a diagram OP!
yes, my fan clears steam from a shower or bath, it’s about five years old, yes they’ve definitely improved!

If it already has an extractor, it has a means of ventilation. You just need a better extractor system. You probably want to speak to someone who knows about these things but you could do with something that moves and replaces it with fresh air from outside like a, PIV system. Or a MHVR system. You can buy single room appliances.

I don't know what's wrong with our fans then as we paid a premium for the one upstairs and it doesn't do much at all.

My crap diagram is attached! I tried to show the sloped bit upstairs with shading. What would you do?

The extractor fan is only as good as its airflow. It needs a clear short duct to outside and ideally a window or door vent so dry air can flow into the room. Also suggest it's humidity controlled so not relying on people turning it on.

Our fan is a cheap inline one but it keeps the bathroom dry fine.
Are your extractor fans on outside walls?

I agree that if the duct is too long, or blocked, that's the issue. I had a problem a few months ago where water had condensation in a flexible duct, caused it to sag and form a u bend blocked with water. So no suction in bathroom. Once water cleared, off it went again

Good to know - thanks! Neither are on external walls. The downstairs has no external walls nearby (we're not even sure where the vent comes out) and the upstairs one is ceiling mounted so it must vent somehow from there to a wall (most of the external wall in that room is roof tiles/Velux window as shown).

Who would I employ to check them? It was an electrician who fitted the new fan upstairs but I suppose he wouldn't have checked the vents.

Do you squeegee after your shower? I keep it in there. The fin shaped ones are great if you have a curved cubicle.

I appreciate it doesn't help your question but it makes an enormous difference to how quickly it dries. Much better to send all that excess water away down the drain.

I'd buy a Medco dehumidifier and turn that on after each shower

Just use an extension cord and keep the door closed so it doesn't it's thing

I do have a window but I tried my dehumidifier in the bathroom with windows indoor doors closed and sucked the room dry in no time

Keep the toilet seat down too !!!!

My son's ensuite has no window and is in the middle of the house. It's fine 👍

Even upstairs with the window open, the walls and ceiling are all dripping wet after a shower so squeegying the inside of the shower wouldn't make a huge difference. I tried this in the past anyway in terms of keeping the glass shiny and I was the only person who ever did it. I don't want to run an extension from the nearest plug socket which is through 2 other doors, lugging the dehumidifier in after each person has a shower and running it for hours blocking the door and with cables across other doors...I have a dehumidifier already but wouldn't want to use it in this way. Again, even if I did it, I doubt anybody else would.

If an extractor fan won't cut it then I just won't put a shower in that room. I'm just torn because I either take the risk and put the shower in but then potentially find I can't use it, or put only a bath in but then find the new extractor fan they put in is indeed great and I could have had my nice shower room but it'll all be tiled and too late to add in by the time I know that!

I would turn the extractors on one at a time and do some investigating around the loft/roof/outdoors. The downstairs room might have a very long run that the fan isn't powerful enough to vent through.

We have a downstairs shower with no window and had a very powerful extractor fitted. It works really well, never had an issue.

Do you know the make and model of yours?

Just checked...its icon airflow but I'm not sure whether it was 30 or 60. I think it was around £150 from memory. Our electrician recommended and fitted it to come on with the light and also whenever it detects humidity.