Bathroom Ventilation Qs

[BusMadDave]

Sorry for dumbs Qs, hope you can advise....

We refurbished our bathroom year before last and I didn't fit any extraction at the time as I honestly didn't think it would need it. But the decent shower and piping hot water in a new draught-free bathroom proved me wrong!

Lesson learned I want to now retrofit some extraction to clear steam whilst showering and like the look of the combined light and extract units like the Ventaxia Luminair.

Am I right in thinking they vent to the loft and then out the soffit, or is there any other way of dispersing the steam and bad air? I may not be able to easily get to the soffit from the loft....

Assume the electrics have to be tested/installed by 'qualified electrician' or, as they are mounted in the loft, do they fall out the zoning regs etc?

Finally, does heat (as in a heater) in the bathroom reduce the steam effect or make it worse? The room, I think, is not particularly cold, but there is no direct source of heat in there and wondered if a heater would cure the steam problem better than an extract unit?

Ideas welcome, especially cheap and efficient ones!

 

[stem]

Am I right in thinking they vent to the loft and then out the soffit

Yes, you must keep the damp air out of the loft, otherwise the condensation will be worse in the cold loft than your warm bathroom, leading to damp and rotten timbers. You can vent using a 'stack' or via an apex if it's easier.

Untitled

• stem
• 22 Sep 2010
• 6

Assume the electrics have to be tested/installed by 'qualified electrician' or, as they are mounted in the loft, do they fall out the zoning regs etc?

If it contains a light, then that will be in the bathroom, so to comply, you will need to inform your local council building control before you start work, pay their bill and allow them to inspect it afterwards.

Finally, does heat (as in a heater) in the bathroom reduce the steam effect or make it worse?

The warmer the air, the more moisture it will carry. So a fan will work better when the air is warm as the air will take more moisture with it when sucked out by the fan. In the room, the moisture is deposited when the warm moist air cools as it touches cooler surfaces eg windows, walls etc., If the 'fabric' of the room structure is warm, less condensation will form on the surfaces, however the moisture will still be in the air and will eventually condense somewhere as it cools. Ventilation is the only solution, but heating will help the ventilation.

 

[BusMadDave]

Many thanks for that info, appreciated.

If it doesn't have a light in it, do the council/god/anyone else have to know, or can that be done DIY or via a tradesman?

 

[RigidRaider]

If you're going to get a sparky in, consider getting a heat pad for the back of the mirror. A great little invention.

 

[stem]

If it doesn't have a light in it, do the council/god/anyone else have to know, or can that be done DIY or via a tradesman?

Personally I don't see why not. If the wiring is outside of the bathroom and the fan is mounted in the loft. But, I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.