Home Home Decor and Repair Bathroom ventilation: how to do it? Free Guide!

Bathroom ventilation: how to do it? Free Guide!

by Editorial Staff

Find out how to make your own bathroom ventilation. All the information you need for diy Bathroom ventilation can be found in this article. We will tell you how to check bathroom ventilation, establish forced air exchange, as well as which exhaust fan to choose for the bathroom ventilation.

bathroom ventilation
bathroom ventilation

What is Bathroom ventilation for?

Properly organized ventilation in the bathroom in a private house or apartment is one of the prerequisites for your comfort. Its absence negatively affects the microclimate of the room: air stagnates in it and excess moisture accumulates. This, in turn, directly affects the well-being of residents. Lack of oxygen and obsessive odors can cause serious discomfort, which can be prevented by ventilation in the bathroom.

Sanitary requirements and standards

Air exchange in any room must comply with sanitary standards. For the bathroom, the indicator is 7-9 m³ / h per 1 m². So, for example, if its area is 10 m², the required air exchange rate (the ratio of two volumes – the air entering the room for 1 hour and the room itself) is 70–90 m³ / h.

Natural or forced bathroom ventilation?

Before making ventilation in the bathroom and toilet, make a diagnosis. To understand whether there is enough natural draft for normal ventilation, you need to evaluate the efficiency of air exchange. It is measured with a special device – an anemometer, for which a specialist is most often called. However, you yourself may notice that bathroom ventilation is not doing its job. This is evidenced by the following signs:

  • Condensation forms on walls and mirrors.
  • Odors are difficult to erase.
  • The air seems stale.
  • Linen and towels do not dry out.
  • Fungus and mold are formed.

The bathroom ventilation status can be checked without waiting for alarms. Use the easiest way:

  • Take a piece of tissue paper or napkin.
  • Open the bathroom door and the window closest to it.
  • Attach the sheet to the ventilation grill and release: the air flow should draw it to the opening.

If the test is successful, you can do without forced bathroom ventilation. Please note: if you move into a new apartment during the cold season, the first impression can be deceiving. The fact is that the difference in temperatures outside and inside the room promotes air movement, so conclusions about the state of the system are best done in summer.

Organization of natural bathroom ventilation?

To properly organize natural air exchange, you must:

  1. Determine the direction of the duct route, depending on the layout of the room and the natural ventilation shaft. It is advisable to avoid a large number of corners and bends, as well as consider the possibility of disconnecting and cleaning the channels.
  2. Connect the bathroom and toilet with a ventilation duct. The easiest way to do this is using flat air ducts with a cross section of 110 × 55 mm or 204 × 60 mm and a set of accessories. It includes connectors, elbows, reducers, tees, holders and plates, depending on the configuration of the airway.

forced ventilation in the bathroom

For forced bathroom ventilation and toilet ventilation, a bathroom exhaust fan is needed to ensure constant air circulation. Depending on the model and installation method bathroom exhaust fan, you can achieve different effects:

  • exhaust ventilation: removes “exhaust” air from the room;
  • supply ventilation: provides fresh air supply;
  • supply and exhaust ventilation: performs two tasks at once, allowing you to comprehensively solve any problems with air exchange.

Usually, a bathroom exhaust fan is installed in the bathroom and toilet: it removes moisture and unwanted odors from the room. We will tell you which bathroom exhaust fan are better and how to install them correctly below.

bathroom ventilation
bathroom ventilation: bathroom exhaust fan

How to choose a bathroom exhaust fan?

Choosing a bathroom exhaust fan (supply and exhaust) by design type

Bathroom exhaust fan are axial and centrifugal (radial).

  • The most common type of working mechanism is axial. Domestic Bathroom exhaust fan operating on this principle have sufficient capacity (70–100 m³ / h) and do a good job of regulating local air exchange. This is the best option for making ventilation in the bathroom of a private house or apartment.
  • Centrifugal Bathroom exhaust fan are characterized by higher performance (100–1200 m³ / h) and higher pressure. They are most often used in industrial premises and systems with long ventilation ducts and flexible air ducts that create high resistance. The main disadvantage is the price, which exceeds the average cost of axial fans.

Choosing Bathroom exhaust fan by the type of installation

Depending on the method of installation, Bathroom exhaust fan are divided into overhead exhaust fan and bathroom vent fan.

  • Overhead models are easy to install: you don’t need to disassemble the ventilation. However, they may not fit into the bathroom and make more noise. So that the soundtrack does not test your patience, purchase a fan with a nominal capacity of no more than 100 m³ / h.
  • Bathroom vent fan are more efficient, invisible and less audible because they are mounted inside the vent / duct system. In addition, with the help of special silencers, they can be made practically silent. For bathroom ventilation in the house, models with a capacity of up to 200 m³ / h are suitable.

Also Read: How to hang a bathroom shelf in 2020?

How to install an exhaust fan in the bathroom?

Required tools

  • Pencil
  • Roulette
  • Drill, hammer drill with concrete drills
  • Dowels
  • Connecting terminals
  • Three-core cable VVG with a cross section of 3 × 1.5
  • Screwdriver set and indicator screwdriver
  • Plastic transitions

Installing the overhead exhaust fan

  1. Select the model that matches the diameter of the ventilation duct.
  2. Route the power cable. Place the wiring in the grooves and cover them with cladding to avoid contact with water. Another solution is wiring in corrugated hoses.
  3. Remove the bezel from the fan and install it in the hole to mark the attachment points.
  4. Drill the mounting holes and insert the dowels into them. Drill the wall with a hammer drill if necessary.
  5. Install the fan housing into the hole, pass the wires through it. Secure the body with self-tapping screws.
  6. Connect the power wires to the terminals, isolate the connections.
  7. Lock the fan cover.

Bathroom vent fan installation

Installing a bathroom vent fan directly into a ventilation shaft requires experience and installation skills. If you are not confident in your abilities, we advise you to contact the master.

  1. As in the previous case, the wiring must be routed in grooves or corrugated sleeves.
  2. Unscrew the terminal box cover, connect the wires to the terminals, isolate the connections and return the cover to its original position.
  3. Plug the bathroom vent fan into a power outlet and check if the connection is correct.
  4. To understand exactly where to install ventilation in the bathroom, measure the diameter of the duct. The bathroom vent fan is mounted at a distance of one diameter from the inlet or outlet. Inflow devices are installed at the beginning of the ventilation system (where air enters the apartment from), and bathroom exhaust fans are placed closer to the exit to the room itself.
  5. Install the bathroom vent fan into the duct using clamps or holders with rubber seals. Household fans do not require self-tapping screws.
  • If the duct has the same shape as the fan, installation is done without additional parts. It is only necessary to seal the joints and make sure that they fit tightly.
  • If you are installing a square fan in a rectangular duct, use a plastic pyramid transition of the appropriate size. Correct air movement will be ensured by a part that is half the length of the fan.
  • To connect a square fan to a circular duct, you will need a plastic square to circle flange adapter. And here the length of the transition should be at least half of the entire length of the fan.
  • Make sure all structural elements fit snugly together. Place the grate on the inlet.
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