Does your bathroom have a ventilation fan? It should! Maybe you have one, but don’t pay much attention to it. If you’ve gone without one until now, you may wonder, “Why is bathroom ventilation important?” That’s a great question.
If you have plumbing professionals install a proper bathroom ventilation fan, you will notice that the space becomes much more comfortable. Additionally, vent fans can lead to better health.
Why Is Bathroom Ventilation Important in Your Home?
Without ventilation, your bathroom can easily become too humid. Any time you shower, flush the toilet, or wash your hands, you introduce moisture into your bathroom air.
All that humidity can make the room feel too cold in the winter and oppressively hot in the summer. Depending on the layout of your home and the HVAC system, the humidity in your bathroom can also impact adjacent rooms.
Yes, a bathroom fan can help to eliminate lingering odors. It’s a much better choice than chemical air fresheners or overbearing scents.
When you turn your ventilation fan on, it removes the humid air. That moist air is vented outside and replaced with drier air. This exchange will make your Orange, CA home significantly more comfortable.
It’s a minor inconvenience, but that fog on your shower doors and bathroom windows is partly caused by poor ventilation. If you have a vent fan installed, you will find that the issue is much less noticeable.
Why is Bathroom Ventilation Important for Health?
Too much humidity can make you sick. It creates the perfect conditions for plenty of things that can affect your health. If you notice a wet smell that just seems to linger in your bathroom, that could be mildew. This condition can settle into your grout and on your walls and ceilings. Mold and mildew can even settle into your vents.
Remember that this isn’t just smelly and unsightly. Excess mold and mildew can cause issues with your respiratory system and trigger allergies.
Worse, bacteria like strep and staph thrive in humidity. Since bathrooms tend to have higher levels of germs than other rooms in your home, it only makes sense to use bathroom ventilation fans to make things cleaner and safer.
What Kind of Ventilation Makes Sense for You?
You need a ventilation fan that moves an adequate amount of air. The ideal air exchange rate is eight times per hour. Fans are sized using cubic feet per minute (CFM). Ideally, you want 50 CFM per toilet and 50 CFM per tub or shower.
Your bathroom ventilation fan is only part of your total vent system. It should vent the air into a duct that takes the moist air outside. Avoid venting directly into the ceiling or attic. That can lead to the build-up of mold and other problems in your rafters and other woodwork.
Things to Consider Regarding Bathroom Fan Installation
There may be more to installing a ventilation fan than simply choosing one, installing, and wiring it. If there isn’t an appropriate ventilation system, that will need to be added or updated.
You may also decide to add a few features for your convenience. Since many vent fans are ceiling mounted, choosing one that comes with motion-activated lights may make sense. This way, you don’t have to mount two ceiling fixtures in such a small space.
Consider a timer or heat exchanger to make the system even more energy-efficient. You can even purchase a smart bathroom fan or one with a built-in Bluetooth speaker.
How Long Should I Run My Bathroom Fan?
Run your fan for 15 minutes following a shower or when you want to exchange the air for any other reasons. This situation is where a timer can help. Remember, if you run the fan for too long, you may end up drawing in more humid air than you are letting out.
Healthy and Comfortable Bathrooms for Orange, CA Homeowners
Should you search for “plumbers near me” for help with your bathroom ventilation? If you do that, you might spend hours filtering through the results. Instead, consider contacting Moffett Plumbing & Air. We have a team of skilled plumbers who are capable of installing, repairing, or updating your bathroom ventilation system.
We’d love the chance to serve you. Our friendly, professional plumbers will complete the work you need quickly and do the job right. We guarantee it. Call today for an appointment or to learn more about our services. Our team of professionals is looking forward to answering any questions you may have.