How essential is an extractor fan in a bathroom?

[MadameGazelle]

A bit boring but....we are replacing our current bathroom over the next couple of weeks and will be installing a shower. How essential is it to have an extractor/ condensation control fan and if so are there any anyone could recommend. TIA

essential if no window, optional if there is

Is it not a legal/building regs requirement to put one in these days?

Not necessary at all if you have a window, i think they look ugly and me and DH fell out about this when we did up our bathroom.

Dh is a builder, it is a legal/building regs requirement to have one put in new builds, not sure if just renovating an existing bathroom. However, he does reccomend you get one as you are installing a shower. HTH

We don't have one in our bathroom, and no window either, but we tend to have baths rather than showers so less steam.

Would be handy after some of DP's morning 'offerings' though, particularly if he's had a curry the night before!!!

I regret not putting one in our bathroom when we redid it a couple of years ago.

Things were fine at first, then last winter we got some condensation, and this winter lots of condensation and mouldy patches that I keep having to clean.

We open the windows as much as possible (so it gets freezing in there), but that isn't enough.

essential imho. and will improve the longevity of your bathroom. good installer will put it somewhere unobtrusive, or you can get recessed lights which have fans built in.

I didn't put one into our bathroom (hate the noise). We just kept the small top window bit open the whole time, and used kitchen and bathroom paint.

That said there was definitely some flaking of paint in the hallway from the steam that escaped from the bathroom when the door was opened - had to repaint. And the paintwork round the window flaked too after about 4 years. And I suspect it may have contributed to the moudly sealant.

If I was doing the same again I would put in a fan BUT have it on a separate switch so I could choose when to put it on or off.

I would concur with the above. Absolutely essential to have a bathroom fan, but with an on/off pullcord so you can choose when to use it.

Absolutely essential, IMO.

I long for hte one in our last rental (but not the crummy drains in there.

It makes a huge difference. We had one put in when he had a new bathroom fitted - no more condensation hanging round all day, no more freezing my arse off because it's so cold from having a window open, no mould and it smells fresh all the time rather than damp and/or pooey! It's on an isolator switch so we can turn it off if necessary.

I agree they are very useful/essential but make sure you get a quite one, some are way too loud!
Sorry that I can't recommend a particular model, I just know from past experience that some make much less noise than others...

You don't have any choice. It's a now a building regulation that you must have one. You don't have to retrospectively fit one but if you are having a new bathroom you do.

i wish id have got one when i refurbed our bathroom.

it gets way too steamy and the condensation makes the ceiling go mouldy - im forever repainting. i try to leave the window open as much as possible but its cold! also its fully tiled so that doesnt help. its the shower that does it.

when i re do mine ill have a fan.

Building regs require you to have one if you are putting a new bathroom in or refurbing an old one (as we found out quite recently)

I had them put in because Dh has a long very hot shower every morning. He used to open the window, but then he cleaned his teeth and left the bathroom. So as we were then all going out we had to shut the window too.

It was floor to ceiling tiled, used to condensate on the tiles, toilet, sink and leave water marks everywhere. Plus it smelt damp half the time.

We now have the extractor fans, we had the electrician set the timer to run for a while after the light switch is turned off so no more freezing my ass off in winter. Plus there is an isolation switch above the door on the outside of the wall so you can turn it off when you want.

You can get some nice ones, I could find this in Screwfix but am convinced that there were loads in Selco (can't link as none on their website but loads in store) they look more like a light than an ugly white plastic extractor.

It will be mentioned on any survey you have if you sell your house.

If you have any reason for Building Control to have to come round (as we did when our bathroom was done as it was part of a bigger re-furb) they will insist on there being a fan.

Even with a window I think you should have one.

it can get steamy in the bathroom and the extractor fan can stop the moisture making the room damp.

plus, it depends how smelly your family's poos are.

personally, i would put in a fan that you can control separately from the lights, so that you can choose when to have the fan going. (eg after you've left the room)

You can have it so that it is switched on automatically by a certain level of humidity - so it automatically switches on while you're having a shower and then switches off when it's got rid of the steam. I can't remember what its proper name is. Humidistat maybe?

So do fans really solve the problem of damp caused by condensation? I'm forever cleaning black dots of the ceiling and blind.
are they expensive and difficult to install?

If your bathroom is not on an external wall, what do you do then? Where on earth would the fan vent to?

Ours goes up through the loft and out through the fascia. Definitely recommend having a humidistat, the one that went on with the light drove me mad.

But what if it in a flat (with another flat above)and not on an external wall?

We are replacing both the kitchen and the bathroom and hadn't thought about extractor fans,as we have huge windows in both rooms.I've looked up the building regs via my local council's building control website,and it says extractor fans are only mandatory in rooms with no openable window.Am I missing something or is this correct? We don't want to end up with problems in the future/if we sell up.