Huge condensation in the bathroom, what to look..? Any tips..?

[Brett2021]

Or even during the shower.

I doubt that will work!

 

[Brett2021]

Seriously??? This is a teenage boy. They are incapable of following any instruction. Or will (sub-consciously) do the opposite.
Will not turn the light off either, or put in a new loo roll

Ooooh…don’t get me started…

100% agree..

 

[Brett2021]

Generally true, but if the condensation is arising during the OP's son's 30-minute showers (presumably with the light+fan on), I imagine it's probably far too late for any amount of fan 'run-on' to make any appreciable difference!

Kind Regards, John

Yes exactly, even if I run fan for hours it may not make much difference..

 

[Brett2021]

Thanks for lots of suggestions...
I am first going to try these to see if that makes any difference..

1. straighten the duct and fix opening around light well
2. Increase timer if I managed to find a way..
3. Keeping door open after use
4. Lowering shower curtain a bit at the top to get more air..??

If none of these make any difference then need to think about a more powerful fans...Thanks all, feedback much appreciated.

 

[ericmark]

I have had showers in three homes, of them only one had a problem with steam in the bathroom, so I sat back and tried to work out why only in one house did I have a problem.

The homes with no problem either no shower door or curtain, with a wet room, or the cubical had no space at the bottom to draw in air.

Clearly you don't want water spraying out so no shower curtain only works with a wet room, the home with the problem was due to having shower in the bath, so although solid doors, there was a large gap top and bottom. To have sucked out that much water vapour means the air needs replacing so grill in bathroom door, and the area air drawn from needs to be warm, this was a problem with the wet room as drawing air from the hall which was cold.

 

[bernardgreen]

Max could do is keep door opened after shower.

The access for replacement air is necessary all the time steam is being produced and the fan is running. The door could be left open a little bit while showering, use a chain to prevent it being fully opened when someone is in the shower.

 

[Odds]

Switch on a cold water tap downstairs after about 10 mins while he's in the shower. That should remind him "time's up".

 

[ericmark]

Likely should be a vent in the door which allows air into the bathroom, however so often the extractor is only fitted to satisfy a building inspector, I know with mother house I was forced to fit one, but it was never used, once I had the completion certificate it was switched off.

The balance between removing moisture and cooling the room too much is hard, and one can suck out loads of moisture which has a fan not been running would have simply gone down the drain. Likely the best way to stop moisture filling the bathroom is a shower cubical which seals at bottom.

Temperature of the room can make a huge difference, and drawing in cold air can cause the chimney effect to be worse, so in ones attempt to remove the moisture you actually generate more. A vent above the shower head will take the moisture outside, but a vent in the wall can draw the moisture into the room first.

The whole idea of a fan which switches on as you get into the shower is only good if drawing moisture from directly above the shower, if in the wall then it wants to turn on after the shower has turned off, not while it is running.

 

[Brett2021]

Switch on a cold water tap downstairs after about 10 mins while he's in the shower. That should remind him "time's up".

 

[Lower]

these are weekend showers, usual weekday ones are 10 min max. BTW my weekend shower normally cross 40 min. So doubt I could challenge him on this

If you are having 40 minute long showers, you're going to have condensation problems.

Repaint using proper bathroom paint, and wipe the walls dry when you've finished spending your 30 or 40 minutes respectively.

I have to ask, what on earth are you doing in there for 40 minutes?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It seems to run in the family, massive wastefulness. Bet they are not on a water meter. Why would anyone need to spend that long in a shower, what can you possibly do for that long in a shower? It only takes me 20 minutes to have a soak in the bath - I know that for sure, because the bathroom extract is set to run for 20 minutes once triggered and I usually beat it to cut off.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Plus - we only have the OP's description of "huge" condensation. Obviously this is subjective.

He does not mention any mould (although some appears to be on the fan itself) so the condensation cannot be that bad and it must dry between showers.

People think that a fan will prevent condensation; it will not. It merely removes some of the water vapour around its location.
It might be better than nothing - but not much. Only a wind-tunnel would remove it all.

If other people think their fan does prevent condensation then they probably don't need one at all.

 

[JohnW2]

People think that a fan will prevent condensation; it will not. It merely removes some of the water vapour around its location.
It might be better than nothing - but not much. Only a wind-tunnel would remove it all.

If "prevent" means "totally prevent" then, in practice, what you say is clearly correct. However, as you imply, a fan which does anything should always 'be better than nothing' (i.e. reduce the amount of condensation), since if it removes at least some of the water vapour-laden air, there will be less of it left to condense on cold surfaces.

I think there are two important issues which are often overlooked. Firstly, as many have said in this thread, a fan can only do anything if there is adequate ventilation of the room, to allow air to enter it. Secondly, condensation occurs when humid air hits cold surfaces - so keeping a bathroom warm (not just heating it 'when used') also helps a lot.

If other people think their fan does prevent condensation then they probably don't need one at all.

I suspect that is often the case.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, agreed.

I did mean people think a fan will totally prevent condensation and I accept that reduce means prevent some.

There are also properties (experience from managing flats) where the air being drawn into the bathroom is restricted and almost as humid as that in the bathroom due to lack of ventilation in the property as a whole.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

My weather station system regards and graphs temperatures and humidity constantly, both indoors and out. The indoor humidity normally varies between 45 and 52 relative. I don't have any damp or mould problems at all, anywhere, but it is interesting looking at the indoor humidity graph and especially in view of the precautions I take, to notice that when I cook, take a bath or a shower etc., that the graph will kick up due to the extra amount of humidity in the air.