Exhaust fans are a must throughout your home. In the kitchen they vent steam and smoke from cooking, to avoid condensation – and setting off your fire alarm! In the laundry they can provide safety by stopping a dangerous build up of condensation on tiles and other flooring. But in the bathroom is where the exhaust fan does the most work. Today we are going to discuss what a bathroom exhaust fan does and if you really need to run a bathroom exhaust fan in Winter.
What Does a Bathroom Exhaust Fan Do?
The main function of a bathroom exhaust fan is to vent hot air out of the bathroom and replace it with cleaner, sometimes cooler, outdoor air. This allows the fan to perform four important functions in your bathroom:
Control odours
Prevent foggy mirrors
Stop the growth of mould
Prevent condensation damage
Bathroom exhaust fans aren’t just a decorative item in your bathroom. They do serve an important function. Below we are going to discuss why you should use your bathroom fan, even in winter.
Why You Should Use Your Bathroom Exhaust Fan in Winter
When you use your bath or shower, you are filling your bathroom with hot air. This hot air causes condensation to build up. If this hot air isn’t vented, over time the condensation will build up on the walls and fixtures in your bathroom.
Foggy Mirror Syndrome
The first issue you can face is foggy mirror syndrome. We’ve all faced this annoying challenge, when we get out of the bath or shower and we end up needing to wipe down the mirror in order to do our hair or make up. This can lead to dirty swipe marks all over your mirrors, making them unsightly, especially for guests. By using the bathroom fan, you are removing the hot air and condensation from the room, preventing the foggy mirrors in the first place.
Odour Control
One of the main functions of the bathroom exhaust fan is to remove odours from the bathroom. Odours don’t necessarily mean bad smells. Some people are very sensitive to perfumes and scents, even those in bath and shower products. By using the fan, you can vent these odours, offering a clean and pleasant atmosphere for the next person to use the bathroom.
Mould Prevention
We all know the danger of mould in our homes. Not only is mould unsightly in a bathroom, it is also a severe health risk. It is especially dangerous for children, the elderly, and the immune compromised. Mould grows when there is a continuous build up of hot water in areas that is not properly removed or aired out.
Condensation Damage
Finally, the longer you leave your walls and fixtures exposed to condensation, the more damage that can occur. Your walls and door can become warped, even down to the structural wood of the room. And your fixtures can become tarnished and damaged, requiring replacement long before the end of their expected lifetime. As such, it is extremely important to use your bathroom fan properly.
How to Use Your Bathroom Exhaust Fan in Winter
You need to ensure you use your bathroom fan for long enough. It needs to run throughout your shower and/or bath. As such, we suggest running your fan for at least 15 minutes after you’ve finished showering or bathing to fully air out the bath room. If you turn the fan off right after your bath or shower you’re not giving the exhaust fan long enough to vent all the steam.
Don’t forget to clean your fan properly too. Even the best bathroom exhaust fan can’t ventilate your bathroom properly if it is fully of dust and grime. We recommend cleaning your fan at least twice a year. Martec fans have convenient panels allowing you to easily clean your exhaust fan.
If there are small puddles, drips or drops in the bathroom, you need to clean it up. Not only is it obviously hazardous to you and others, puddles will not dry out with the ventilation, meaning you are leaving your bathroom at risk of mould growth and water damage.
Further, many people don’t realise that it is important that you should keep your shower door or curtain open. This allows the fan to circulate air throughout the entire bathroom space, allowing it to dry the bathroom more efficiently. If you have a curtain, try to keep the plastic or fabric flat as moisture can get trapped in the folds, causing mould to grow.
Finally, if your bathroom has a window, it is helpful to open it while the ventilation is running. This will help let out more steam. If you don’t have a window – or the weather doesn’t permit leaving the window open – then leave the bathroom door open to allow the ventilation to circulate properly.
The Importance of Good Ventilation in Winter
Winter, for most of us, is the heating season when we run the heater in our homes. We also tend to keep our windows and doors shut to keep the heat in and the cold out. But this means we’re also keeping out all the fresh air. While obviously this saves energy and money, it does mean the air in your home become stale, which can be damaging to your health. And, as we mentioned above, warm, damp conditions are the perfect home for mould to grow, along with other pests like dust mites. This can cause eczema, itching and even respiratory problems.
Condensation is the most common foe and the most likely culprit for mould growth. It is most noticeable in Winter, when there is a dramatic difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures.
But condensation isn’t the only thing to fear in winter. VOCs or volatile organic compounds are emissions from households chemicals and furnishings. These can become toxic in high concentrations without ventilation.
Finally, people who suffer from seasonal health conditions like hay fever also notice improvements when there is proper ventilation in the home.
The simplest way to solve these problems is to purchase an effective ventilation system from professionals like Martec. Our bathroom exhaust fans can be used in both bathrooms and laundries, ensuring your home is a pleasant space to live in.
Explore our range of Martec exhaust fans today and keep your bathroom pristine for years to come!
