Bathroom fan working or not?

[Bel May]

Hi everyone - I'm a DIY novice but like giving it a go!

Our shower room has a problem with condensation and I decided that's because we need a more powerful fan.

However, as I've been investigating what we already have, I have found that when the fan is on I can't actually feel any air coming out of the outside vent (at all).

My question is - should I be able to? I'm starting to wonder whether we don't actually need a new fan but instead need to fix the old one and if that's the case, what could be wrong?

Any advice/ideas would be very welcome! Many thanks

 

[sircerebus666]

Stick a bit of toilet paper to the extract fan , if it's working it should hold it in place , if not it's time to splash the cash

Have you got any means of a way for air to enter the room whilst the fan is on ? I.e. a big gap under the door?

There has to be a way in for air to replace the air being sucked out by the extraction fan or you get a suction effect and the fan us ineffective

 

[lostinthelight]

Another cause could be the back draft flaps stuck shut, I had a case recently where they were stuck with mud, goodness knows what caused that 6m off the ground

 

[Stivino]

Another cause could be the back draft flaps stuck shut, I had a case recently where they were stuck with mud, goodness knows what caused that 6m off the ground

House Martins.

 

[HERTS P&D]

House Martins.

Andy

 

[lostinthelight]

House Martins.

Interesting but not the cause in this instance. There is a louvre on the wall outlet to get past and the flap is on the fan 3m further along the pipe....I did wonder if it was mason bee's though

 

[Bel May]

Thanks guys - that's really useful info and I will do more investigations. Am really hoping it's not an 80s band who've decided to live in the pipe - I'd feel bad chucking them out

 

[ktuludays]

Thanks guys - that's really useful info and I will do more investigations. Am really hoping it's not an 80s band who've decided to live in the pipe - I'd feel bad chucking them out

Surely they could go and live in the caravan of love

 

[JohnD]

Some fans are very ineffective and can be replaced with a quieter, more powerful one.

Please photograph yours, and the outside vent, so it can be identified.

Is the duct 100mm diameter?

Does the fan blow straight through wall (the hole lined with plastic tube)?

Or is there a length of duct above the ceiling or somewhere?

Does the fan turn in with the light switch?

Can you hear it continuing to run for a timed period after switching off?