Having a good ventilation system is very important because without proper ventilation your bathroom can be prone to condensation, damp and black mould. If you do not deal with it, moisture in the bathroom could spread, resulting in more dampness in your other rooms. To prevent this from happening, a good mechanical extractor fan is required. It is not a luxury, it’s a must. But you need to be smart when you buy one. Not only does it suck away badly unpleasant odours, it also removes moisture from the air which is really bad news especially when you don’t have any outside window.
Worried? Don’t be. We’ll discuss what you should keep in mind when you buy an extractor fan in this article. Also, check out the newest updated fans here Best Bathroom Extractor Fans.
First, we need to Know What is an Extractor Fan:
Usually mounted to the ceiling or walls and connected with a venting process, extractor fans are a must-have thing for a home. It sucks air from inside the room, which gets transferred outside through the venting system. It does have value when you want to keep moisture away from bathroom air. It removes water vapor from the bathroom after you finish up your shower.
Extractor Fan Types
There are mostly 3 types of extractor fans available. Let’s discuss these 3 types of Extractor fans below:
Inline: These fans are often seated on ceilings above and cause less noise compared to others available. These are the suitable choice for your room, which can be used where a long ducting process is required.
Axial: Axial extractor fans pull them with an impeller and throw them away through an external wall hole. These are the most common products available and also good to use for bathrooms and rooms as well.
Centrifugal: These extractor fans extract air to a right angle and spin it outside by centrifugal force. They can be useful in rooms where longer ducting is needed.
Now let’s discuss what things you need to consider before you buy an extractor fan
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Bathroom Zones
You need to know about bathroom zones before you install your extractor fan. Bathrooms are divided into different zones. Zone 0 is inside the shower, while zone 1 is just above it (to a height of 2.25m). And zone 2 is 0.6m horizontally away from your shower. Beyond these three zones, those are considered as outside the zones.
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Operating The Fan
There are many options for operating your fan. You can do it manually, or by using a cord switch. Some of them have remote control systems and timers with them, which you can use in any way you like. PIR (Passive Infrared Sensors) operates in a more unique way, it gets automatically switched on when someone enters the room. Fans with humidity sensors also work when moisture in the air increases and turns off automatically when it decreases.
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Noise Issue
It might not sound very important to some people, but trust me, it is. You will not be able to comprehend unless you encounter the problems of having a noisy ventilation system. You sure don’t want to deal with your neighbors for having a noisy extractor fan. However, there are some low-noise models available, but they might be a little more costly than the normal ones. And do check before you buy to have an idea how it works.
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Air Exchange rate
The rate of air extraction can be measured by “Litres per second” or (l/s) and “Metres Cubed per Hour (m3/hr). At this rate, an extractor fan removes air when it is operational. Building regulations say an extractor fan should reduce no less than 15 L/s. This is very important and most of the available products must cover this rate. But a high-performance extractor fan is needed for a large bathroom because it has to cover a lot of space.
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Extractor Grilles
Now let’s focus on another important thing. You must have a fixed grille in the bathroom to expel all the moist air through the vent. Slats of gravity grilles are pushed open by the extraction process and closed automatically. This prevents backdrafts when it’s not being used, but it can be noisy, especially if it’s located beneath the bathroom window.
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Heat Recovery Option
Not just for bathrooms, a heat recovery system is actually needed for the whole house. Damp air is passed down through the heat exchange ventilation system. Outside fresh air gets filtered and replaces the old damp air, thus recycling the airs of the bathroom. Also, there are some single room heat recovery systems are available which does the same thing through a single unit
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Placing The Extractor Fan
As mentioned earlier, building regulations clearly have rules to have extractor fans. There is little sense in putting your extractor fan in an unnecessary place. You need to find a suitable place to put it. With some smart thoughts and consulting with your family members, you can find the right place in your bathroom. Putting the fan on the wall side of the shower is the best place preferably.
Extractor fans are not an option, it’s a must. You need to put an extractor fan in your bathroom to get a healthy environment. Choose wisely, think smart. Have a good day.
