You need an exhaust vent in your bathroom not just to keep hot mirrors, damp walls and odours at bay but for your health too, because mold spores can cause allergies or asthma attacks.
Ceiling fans pull air from the room and push it through the ducts to the roof; ductless ones fit into window frames for simple installation.
Moisture
Bathroom exhaust fans dry the air by sucking the moisture from the air in a tube or metal duct and sending it outside where it is no longer moldy or mildewed, or any foul or odour that could otherwise remain. This reduces the amount of mold that builds up or the smells that can be too bad or pungent.
Conditions that are wet are breeding grounds for mould and mildew, which damage surfaces and woodwork and pose health risks. Exhaust fans for bathroom ventilation do the trick to help remove any chemical smells from toiletries or cleaning products and clean the air inside.
if you have a bathroom fan that has been leaking lately, act now. It might be a sign of broader problem in need of professional intervention; or it may just be something creatively remedied by fixing the problem. For instance, if it’s attached to an attic and not to outdoor venting, make sure the ductwork insulation and routing is 100% standard so it won’t leak.
Odor
A good exhaust fan doesn’t just keep paint and other surfaces from getting damaged by sucking moisture away — it can remove bad odours, too. If you still have stale smells from decaying food or mold when you shower, this means that the vent is either clogged or just isn’t functioning properly.
Ideal: Fill the U-shape pipe at sink drains (B) and tub/shower drains with water so that they form a barrier to trap sewage fumes but leave open ventilation. But unfortunately, they can also get blocked from soap scum, hair or other stuff, so if they do then professional plumbers are on hand to clean and repair your pipes.
Cleaning your vent on a regular basis to get rid of dust buildup also makes your vent run properly and safely. If your exhaust vent cover’s slits are narrow or clogged, proceed to remove and wipe down with a damp cloth as soon as possible.
Mold
Mold likes moist and rich in nutrients (Mold likes cellulose). Good ventilation keeps this area dry, so you can avoid getting more mold.
Air-flow is one of the biggest guards against fungus. Bathroom exhaust fans are important in this fight against mold for two reasons. They first release warm bathroom air to the outdoors – less condensation and odour – while also pulling in fresh air from outside to replenish dry, old air that may have accumulated inside your house and provide you with cleaner indoor air while also drying walls and ceilings.
Many older Seattle homes and some newer homes have bathrooms that don’t have proper ventilation, one of the main causes of wall and ceiling mold.
The steamy humid air that showers and baths creates is ripe for mold, which if left untreated is a perfect recipe for fungus. Make sure your exhaust fan is on when you shower or bathe, as well as when you get out of the shower or bath – then stay on a few minutes afterward to kill any moisture that remains and can give way to mold.
Humidity
Mold and mildew grow best in warm, damp spaces; a good exhaust fan gets rid of all that moisture in the air by blowing it outside and shutting it off so it doesn’t seep into other rooms in your house.
When shopping for a bathroom exhaust fan, be sure to check for an ENERGY STAR approved Humidity Sensor. This sensor is turned on when the humidity reaches a certain point to help prevent the growth of mold and mildew and will run until humidity returns below the set level; this sensor saves energy over older models.
Be sure the bathroom fan is well sized for efficiency and outside vent, and the ductwork of its exhaust has roof vent and weather seal that will seal it against insects from getting through it. Condensation and noise can be minimized with insulated hard ducts. Furthermore, go for one with low sones ratings for silent operation.