Advice on fitting a bathroom extractor fan

[hztm2008]

Hi, we have a shower over the bath which generates a lot of condensation in the bathroom. We have just had an electrician quote £200 to fit an extractor fan. He has quoted for a ceiling vent above the shower over the bath with a fan in the loft which will have ducting ruuning to the outlet on the side peak of the house. He said that these are often vented out through the sofit boards but this would need scaffolding. We asked why we could not just have a wall mounted extractor but he said if would be too close to the window - he said that an extractor cannot be within one metre of the window.

Does this sound correct? It seems a lot of hassle drilling holes in ceilings and running some thirty foot of ducting in the loft? We have seen other houses with vents close to the window so is is really not allowed? Would an extractor going through the wall at the other end of the bath work ok or would the option in the loft work better?

Thanks to everyone for any advice.

 

[Johnmelad]

Total Carp. You can have the extractor fan go through the glass window.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

As above, fans can be fitted in windows.
But we don't know the exact circumstances, is there any structural reasons behind the electricians choice of route?

 

[hztm2008]

The fan could go straight through the wall at the opposite end of the bath to where the shower is. Would this work ok or would the loft mounted unit with a vent directly above the shower be better. Electrician also advised that this had to come on and off with the light but we wondered whether this could have an on/off switch - or maybe the humidity switched fans are good? I think our preferred route would be to take it though the wall. Thanks for all the advice and info

 

[RF Lighting]

As has been said, assuming there are no structural anomolies that we are not aware of, then through the wall is fine.

30ft of ducting is a long way. Many fans are not powerful enough for a ducting run this long.

If through the wall is not an option, then I'd have a roofer install a roof tile vent and duct straight up through that.


Either a timer fan that comes on with the lighs, or a humidistat fan is fine. Fans on their own switch tend to be forgotten about and not used as much as they ought to be.

 

[hztm2008]

Many thanks for all the info. Can I just check one final thing. Ideally we only want the fan on when the shower is on but the electrician said that this is not possible and it should be linked with the light coming on and off. However we do not always have the light on when having a shower. Having now looked around at various fans on the web, we notice that some just have a simple on/off pull cord. Would this be acceptable to meet the various regulations as it would appear to be the ideal solution. Thanks again for all the info.

 

[dhutch]

Depends on the room also, you want the extract point at the top, so if like me you have a semi-vaulted ceiling with a sloping section you cant really put in in the wall/window because its too low.

Personally I would have it in the ceiling anyway and out through the roof/gablewall/soffetboard. if nothing else it quieter with the fan in the attic.

Linking it to the shower isnt overly easy, but having it to another switch along side the shower or light switch is possible and is what ive done.

Also, get a good big fan, 6inch diameter throughout.


Daniel