Replacing bathroom fan

[Alison556]

The fan we have in the bathroom has to be the most ineffectual thing I've ever come across. It's extraction rate is 85m3/h but it really does nothing to remove the steam and after a shower (no matter how quick you are), the bathroom is streaming with condensation.

Is there a stronger bathroom fan or would I be better putting in a kitchen fan (seems they extract at 230m3/h).

If I go for a kitchen fan, would the wiring just be a straight swap (figuring if it's a straight swap, I could do it myself)

Any help much appreciated.

 

[flameport]

More powerful fans are available, but before replacing, make sure there is a gap under the door for air to enter the room - if the room is sealed, no extractor will work properly.

 

[Alison556]

There's about a 4-5mm gap under the door

 

[Grenage]

You want the open space into the room (door) to equal the open space going out of the room (fan duct). I imagine around 1cm would be ideal for a 100mm duct.

 

[ericmark]

The more you blow out the more air must replace it and soon you reach the point where the room is too draughty. So we move form simple fan to a heat recovery unit which heats up the air coming in with the air going out.

You are looking at over £150 quick check found one at £174 and I have never fitted any so don't know what is involved but many return air to a different place from where they extract air so could return warmed air into the living room for example.

The problem with many houses is we pump air out without have anywhere for the air to get back in. Ideal place for returning air is where it is heated.

In theroy I should not use my vented tumble drier because I have an open flue fire. In practice I simply don't use the fire when tumble drying.

The word open flue is misleading. What it means is combustion air is drawn from the room. So anything other than a balanced flue is an open flue.

In a friends timber frame house we had problems with cold drafts so as an experiment instead of blowing air out we pumped air in right under his wood burning fire. The result was amazing no drafts were felt the fire was easier to light and in the shower simple open the small window and all the steam went out.

However unlike him I don't have a suspended wooden floor under my fire it would be a real pain to lay ducting to bring in the air. And gas fire is easy to light anyway.

But really gaps under doors need to be far too big to work so it's really down to having a vent in the door and that way you also have the option to close the vent.

 

[JohnW2]

But really gaps under doors need to be far too big to work so it's really down to having a vent in the door and that way you also have the option to close the vent.

Maybe - but, as has been said, you only need around 1cm gap under a door to result in an 'inflow' with same 'csa' as a 100mm fan's outlet duct.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

The word open flue is misleading. What it means is combustion air is drawn from the room. So anything other than a balanced flue is an open flue.

I don't think that is strictly true. My understanding is that the 'opposite' of 'open flue' is 'closed flue' (or 'room sealed'), with combustion air being drawn from outside, and exhaust gases being expelled to outside - but that 'balanced flue' is but one type of 'closed flue'.

Kind Regards, John