Ventilation for Internal Bathroom in Flat

Joined
20 Dec 2011
Messages
47
Reaction score
1
Location
Renfrewshire
Country
United Kingdom
I'm viewing some flats just now (built 1970) and am looking for some guidance re ventilating the bathroom in the flat I’m really keen on buying (Flat A). Sorry if this is a bit long-winded, but it’s the only way that I can describe the situation. I just need to know what my options are before I put my offer in.

The property is in Scotland (just in case regs are different). The building is 2 storeys high and Flat A is a top floor property, with a flat roof. The bathroom dimensions are 7’ x 7’ approximately. There is a shower over a bath, loo and wash hand basin. If successful with buying Flat A, I would be taking out the bath and replacing it with a walk-in shower. The bathroom does not have any outside walls. It has been wet walled and a new ceiling has been installed and fitted with spots. The wall opposite the bathroom door is an outside wall.

I know from viewing another top floor flat (Flat B) at the opposite end of the building that there was a horrible domed skylight in it’s bathroom ceiling. This could be opened by putting a pole into a tube attached to skylight, thus ventilating the bathroom. I’m presuming that this set up is the same as that above the new ceiling in Flat A.

Back in Flat A, through the bathroom wall on the side opposite the long edge of the bath, is a deep walk in cupboard accessed from the hall. In this cupboard, at the far end, it has been boxed in (floor to ceiling) with wet wall. There are two square holes cut into this (about 4”x4”) set about 4 feet and 4.5 feet off the ground, but the holes are not aligned one above the other. They’re offset by about 4”. I don’t know if that’s significant or related to anything in the bathroom. There is a hatch to the roof void in this cupboard, but as far as I’m aware it’s not a very high space, so don’t think a person could get up inside it to work in it. The hatch is located inside this cupboard.

Through the wall, at the short end of the bath, is a shallow linen cupboard. This is also accessed from the hall and contains the shower's (over the bath) electrical switch.

Can anyone please provide any suggestions (not horribly expensive) for the best way of venting the bathroom. For example, could a ceiling fan be installed with some sort of ducting running across the new ceiling and roof void to the wall outside. Would simply fitting a fan on to this outside wall be of any use, by at least removing some of the moisture that will come out the bathroom into the hall? I would be employing a company to do the work, probably the same one who would replace the bath with a walk-in shower. Look forward to receiving the benefit of your knowledge :)
 
Sponsored Links
The problem you might have is dealing with the freeholder (Laird ? ) because you are altering/making holes in their property .
 
It is freehold. Very few residential properties (as in 0.001%) in Scotland are anything but that.
 
Sponsored Links
by at least removing some of the moisture that will come out the bathroom into the hall?
Don't really understand the arrangement from your description but you can't extract air from a bathroom or any room into another room or the hall, it has to go to outside air.
 
Leofric, I'm completely non-technical. I was just brain storming with myself for possible solutions. I just posted on here because people have been very helpful with suggestions on the past.

Without any other form of ventilation, I simply wondered if having a fan in the external wall of the hallway would help with removing any moisture coming from the steam in the bathroom that has escaped in to the hall. I never mentioned extraction from one room into another. Even with me being a non-technical person I know that would be completely unfeasible.
 
Would simply fitting a fan on to this outside wall be of any use, by at least removing some of the moisture that will come out the bathroom into the hall?
Can you run a duct from an extract fan in your bathroom to this external wall without going through another flat or communal space :?:
 
Yes. The hall is internal inside the flat, not communal. Thinking of what you're suggesting, that is probably the most practical way to do it. All depends if there is enough height above the bathroom door to install an extractor. Then run a duct across the ceiling of the hall (box it in) to the external wall. Thanks for your help.
 
Sounds like the best way to me, and that way you can have an inline duct fan, which is quieter and much more powerful.

It's better to use rigid ducting where possible, and if the roof void has 5" or more of space, you can fit 4" solid pipe form the hatch, if you pre-join it up, and have the correct falls to ensure moisture doesn't collect.
 
Thank you phatboy and Leofric. As I said in my original post, we will be employing someone to do this work, but I’m really happy that the DIYNot crew have given me some great information and inspiration as usual. First I need to make sure my Mum secures the house, but assuming she will I now have a good idea of how to move forward this particular issue. We’re hoping no other offers come in between now and the 2nd viewing a week on Friday. Thereafter, once the sale goes through, we can start the ball rolling for all the venting work as suggested by Leofric. Meantime I'm going to contact the Housing Association and the Council to see if there any issues surrounding the ducting works, need for building works, etc. Fingers crossed that it won’t be a major issue :) Thanks again x
 
PS the Housing Association is only involved because they have some tenants in the building (the rest are privately owned) and are the factors for the property.
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top