Need options regarding steamy bathroom

[Al Jacobs]

Hi everyone,

I have just moved into a property in a grade 2 listed building and I have had the bathroom redone. Unfortunately there is no window in the bathroom and it doesn't have an extractor vent.

There is a clever system within the whole property that draws in the air from certain points one of them is in the bathroom.

The system does some sort of heat exchange cleans the air and then puts it back into different rooms and the waste is vented outside somewhere.

In the bathroom I have to pull a cord on the humidi-stat to override the system I guess to obviously draw up the air.

However after two days in the property it is becoming quite annoying when having a shower it is like a Turkish sauna. Obviously the system is not an extractor fan but is not powerful enough for getting a steam free shower.

There is no option to put a window and there is no option to put a vent in the bathroom.

I am looking at getting a condensing extractor fan or dehumidifier is this the right approach I should be taking?

I Appreciate any help,

Cheers

 

[stem]

A good place to start by getting the existing system checked out. Are the filters blocked? do they need cleaning? are both fans actually running? has the duct system been sized and balanced properly to provide sufficient extraction. Is there a hole in the duct, or a leaking joint in it somewhere? When the system is running, you should be able to hold a piece of paper towel about one inch below the extraction point and it should be strong enough suck it across the grille and hold it in place.

Also to be considered, whilst there is an extraction point in the room, where does the air to replace what is extracted come in? A tight fitting door will prevent air entering and drastically reduce extraction capacity. If this is the case, a vent in the bathroom door, or trimming a few mm off the bottom of the door will help. Ideally there should be a clear flow of air from an air inlet through to the bathroom to maintain a good airflow.

Also the extraction duct should be at the opposite end of the room from where the replacement air comes in so there is a flow of air across the room, and if possible, if the extraction point is above the shower it can be more effective as it captures the steam at source before it disperses into the rest of the room.

Regarding what you describe, I have yet to see anything strong enough to keep an area free of steam when the shower is actually in use. Particularly in a smaller bathroom. This is why good systems either have a run on facility that lasts 20 minutes or so, or, as in your case a humidistat that keeps it running until the steam has cleared. Is the room clear 20 minutes after showering has finished?

Heat is also your friend. Warm air carries much more moisture which is then sucked out along with it. This time of year as the weather gets cooler and if you don't have your heating on yet it will exacerbate the situation.

 

[foxhole]

Hi everyone,

I have just moved into a property in a grade 2 listed building and I have had the bathroom redone. Unfortunately there is no window in the bathroom and it doesn't have an extractor vent.

There is a clever system within the whole property that draws in the air from certain points one of them is in the bathroom.

The system does some sort of heat exchange cleans the air and then puts it back into different rooms and the waste is vented outside somewhere.

In the bathroom I have to pull a cord on the humidi-stat to override the system I guess to obviously draw up the air.

However after two days in the property it is becoming quite annoying when having a shower it is like a Turkish sauna. Obviously the system is not an extractor fan but is not powerful enough for getting a steam free shower.

There is no option to put a window and there is no option to put a vent in the bathroom.

I am looking at getting a condensing extractor fan or dehumidifier is this the right approach I should be taking?

I Appreciate any help,

Cheers

Normally those systems have a boost option fitted in loos and bathrooms.?

 

[Al Jacobs]

Hi all many thanks for your messages,

I have taken some pictures of the system that is in the apartment it is called a BAXI

There is a small valve that draws in the air in the bathroom but there is not another one that blows in.

 

[Al Jacobs]

I hope the extra information helps would it be a wise thing to get an extractor fan with no exhaust

 

[Doggit]

Unfortunately, you can't get an extractor without an exhaust, but a dehumidifer wuld almost be the neaest equivalent.

Stem and Foxhole have pretty much set the tone of the situation. Get it checked out and serviced, and find out how to use it properly. As I'm sure you're aware, being a listed building, they won;t let you put an extractor outside the building, as that would ruin the original look, but there should be a vent somewhere, to take out the wet air from the property, so look round the property and see if you can find it. If the system is found to be working properly, then you may need to see if you can run an extractor across the property to the same point.

 

[foxhole]

This is installation and trouble shooting info.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0ahUKEwj5kNvDs5PWAhULUlAKHaJaCwIQFggyMAI&url=https://www.vent-axia.com/sites/default/files/370712.pdf&usg=AFQjCNHmhJNSTb85iFLHKKv2cR5LP-GSoQ


Your last pic is of the humidity sensor with switch to alter fan speed, does it work?

 

[stem]

There is a small valve that draws in the air in the bathroom but there is not another one that blows in.

That is correct. There will always only be an extraction point in bathrooms, so that erm... unpleasant air is sucked out from the bathroom and then air from the other rooms comes in to replace it. This prevents the bathroom air being circulated around the rest of the building.

Whist there is not an inlet in the bathroom, there will be other inlets in the rest of the property and there should be an unobstructed route for the incoming air from these vents to travel through the building and to reach the bathroom, hence my earlier comments about there being gaps under the doors to allow this through flow. If the room is fairly airtight, the extractor will struggle to pull air out of the bathroom when there is not a source of incoming air to replace it.

The vent you show is adjustable, to allow the system to be balanced, the instructions posted by Foxhole tell you how to do this.

The photos you have posed show the items of equipment. We know what they look like, but what about the things I suggested earlier:

Have the filters / heat exchanger been cleaned?

Is the extract fan actually running? (If you rely on sound, if the extract fan has failed, you will still hear the intake fan running)

When the system is running, will it suck a paper towel held about one inch below the extraction point up and hold it in place. (don't loose it up the vent though )

Is there a free flow of replacement air into the bathroom?

Is the room clear of steam 20 minutes after showering has finished when the system is left running? I guess this question should be first really, because if the answer is yes it's working OK.