Bathrooms are often a problem area for those struggling with damp in the home. They’re usually the smallest rooms in the house, yet they’re equipped with plenty of utilities that create steam and lead to condensation on a daily basis.
The moisture and humidity levels in your bathroom are naturally much higher than the rooms in the rest of the house. Having a damp bathroom is a bigger issue than it may seem. Damp can cause the sealants in bathroom fixtures to warp, leaving your walls and floor exposed to any leaks. You may notice this happening around the bath, toilet, and sink. Once this happens, your entire room is prone to developing mould – causing further deterioration.
Ventilating your bathroom properly is important, and can help reduce the spread of mould and damp. Here’s our guide on how to prevent damp in your bathroom.
Install a Bathroom Fan
A bathroom extractor fan can help limit the amount of moisture that builds up in the air. Many bathrooms will already be equipped with a fan, but it’s easy enough to forget it’s there and neglect it! Extractor fans help the warm, moist air that’s generated in your bathroom to escape. This is especially important if you don’t have a bathroom window to open while bathing or showering.
- Turn it on!
To make the most of your extractor fan, turn it on before you wash. The thing most people forget is that they should also leave it on for a period of time after they’ve used the bathroom. The moisture remains in the air after we shower, so your extractor fan should be kept on afterwards. Leave it on for around 20 minutes to air out the room and remove steam.
- Cleaning
Make sure you also clean your bathroom extractor fan on a regular basis. They can easily collect dust, reducing the fan’s ability to function properly. If you don’t have an extractor fan, consider having one installed.
- Cubic Feet Per Minute – CFM
Think about the size of your bathroom. In a larger bathroom, you will have more air that needs extracting. Extractor fans have ratings based on the amount of air they can shift. This rating considers the ‘cubic feet per minute’ (also known as CFM). For each square foot of space in your bathroom, you need 1 CFM – as a minimum. Fan sizes begin at 50 CFM. Work out the size of your bathroom in square feet by multiplying the measurements – length x width. If your bathroom is 10 x 8 feet, that makes it 80 square feet. You then need an 80 CFM extractor fan.
- Placement
The placement of your extractor fan will determine how well it works to remove moisture. Some bathrooms have areas that may need an additional fan. Consider any alcoves and corners that need covering so that steam can be extracted from every space in the room.
If you’re worried about your extractor fans looking unsightly in your bathroom, there are newer designs available. Some modern extractor fans feature LED lights and discreet flat surfaces, while others are available in dark grey.
Check Your Bathroom Windows
Many of the first signs of condensation and damp within a bathroom begin with the windows. You might start to notice puddles of water forming around the windowsill or mould starting to grow.
If you see condensation building up on your windows, you need to check they are working properly. If the sealant around the window is broken or warped, then it’s not insulating your bathroom. If this is the case, you might need your windows repairing. If you don’t already have double glazing, this is an ideal time to consider upgrading! At Cloudy2Clear, we’re experts in fixing and installing double glazed windows. We can repair any failed double glazing that’s causing condensation, fixing the issue and preventing damp in your bathroom.
Open Your Windows
You might be tempted to leave your bathroom door open to reduce the humidity in there. However, this isn’t recommended as it means the moist air only spreads to the spaces beyond your bathroom. Keep it contained. Let it out by opening the bathroom window and using the fan before you shower instead.
Heating the Home
If you’ve tried all of the above, there are other ways you can prevent condensation in the bathroom. Warm air is able to hold more moisture than cold air – without it settling to form droplets of water on your surfaces.
Keeping your home at a steady temperature throughout can therefore prevent condensation. Increasing the ambient temperature within the home is an effective way to combat condensation and damp. However, with the rising cost of energy, we understand it’s not always an affordable option.
Prevention is Best
The best way to stop damp in your bathroom is to prevent it from happening in the first place. If you follow all the tips above, you should be able to limit the amount of damp and condensation:
- Install bathroom extractor fans – remember to consider placement, use them properly, and clean them regularly.
- Check your bathroom windows – double glazing reduces condensation when fully functioning. If your double glazing has failed, seek a repair specialist like Cloudy2Clear.
- Open your windows while showering or bathing – don’t rely on leaving the bathroom door open, as the humid air is then simply redirected to other areas of the house.
- Heat the home consistently – not the most affordable option, but warmer air does prevent condensation.
While the above tips should help, preventing condensation becomes easier when you take a couple of additional measures:
- Wipe Wet Surfaces
After you’ve used the bathroom, try to mop up any water or condensation that’s formed on your surfaces, walls, and floors. This will reduce the level of moisture in the room and means that water isn’t sitting around and contributing to damp. To prevent your windows from failing or contributing to further damp, focus on ensuring your windows are dry.
- Invest in a ‘Demistable’ Mirror
‘Fog free’, or ‘steam free’ mirrors are a great way to prevent condensation from forming. Some feature heating elements or store hot water behind the mirror to stop condensation. Others have an anti-mist, polyester film over the top that stops moisture from settling.
- Try a Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier will work to reduce the humidity of your bathroom. You don’t have to spend too much on an electric dehumidifier; these will only add to your energy bills too. Small, tech-free dehumidifiers often use crystals to absorb any damp. These smaller dehumidifiers (or moisture absorbers) work well in small rooms, and you could place a couple around the bathroom for maximum effect.
Others use aerodynamic absorption techniques and refillable tabs. Complement your dehumidifying efforts by using the extractor fan and leaving your window open.
- Use Anti-Condensation Paint for Bathrooms
Anti-condensation paints are a great way to prevent the buildup of moisture in bathrooms (and kitchens). These paints have insulating properties that means they level out the temperature, so moisture doesn’t settle. Due to their insulating impact, they can keep your home feeling warmer and reduce your energy bills. Many anti-condensation paints also prevent mould, with fungicides used within the paint to stop it growing at its source.
- Take Cooler Showers & Baths
A fairly obvious condensation prevention method, but understandably not one that everybody wants to do! Turning down the temperature when you take a bath or a shower reduces the heat and moisture in the air, therefore helping to prevent condensation and damp from forming over time.
Prevent Damp in Your Bathroom with Cloudy2Clear
At Cloudy2Clear, we’re specialists in optimising the impact of double glazed windows. When it comes to bathrooms, we find they’re a problem area for many of our customers. The good news is, we can replace the sections of your bathroom windows that need fixing – without replacing the entire window unit. This reduces the cost of your repair, while minimising material wastage.
Replacing or having your double glazed windows repaired is a great way to reduce condensation in the home.
To discover more about our bathroom window repair services, get in touch with us. Call our team on 0800 61 21 119 for a free quote now. You can also fill out online contact form and we’ll get back to you.
