Bathroom Fans (19)

Bathroom Fans: Understanding and Choosing the Best Fan for you

Bathroom fans are designed to remove any unwanted smells and moisture, which helps to keep the room mould-free and fresh. By removing any moisture, problems such as damp spots, mould and peeling paint is heavily reduced.

It is essential to get the correct size fan for your bathroom, to effectively remove and dispel any unwanted moisture.

Table of Contents

1. What Types of Bathroom Fans are There?
2. How Does a Bathroom Fan Work?
3. Do Bathroom Fans use a lot of Electricity?
4. What Bathroom Fan is Suitable for me?

1. What Types of Bathroom Fans are There?

• Axial - Axial fans are the most common types of bathroom fans and are ideal for bathrooms and smaller rooms where 2-3m of ducting is required. They work by pulling the extracted air through an impeller which is then drawn out through the external wall
• Centrifugal - These fans are designed to remove air at right angles, once the air is in the fan it is then spun out of the external wall by centrifugal force. These fans are suitable for bigger rooms where longer ducting is required
• Inline - Ideal for rooms without an external wall, these fans are installed above the ceiling and produce a lot less noise. A lot more equipment is required with inline fans such as clamps, vents and ducting hoses, however the more complex set up will be worthwhile in the long run

2. How Does a Bathroom Fan Work?

Simply, a bathroom fan works by drawing moist air in through the fan, the fan will then continue to spin the air through the system and out of an external vent. Within the system, there is an insulated duct, which keeps moisture from entering back into the building. The following factors make a bathroom fan more efficient and effective:

• Adequate Airflow - Airflow makes the fan more efficient, as it helps to carry the moisture through the vent, therefore the general rule is that the bigger the bathroom, the bigger the fan should be
• External Venting - Always make sure the vent takes the moist air outside, as it can create damp or bad smells if the moist air remains inside
• Efficient Ductwork - For the most efficient results, the duct must be wide enough, well-insulated and as direct as possible to quickly remove the moist air

3. Do Bathroom Fans use a lot of Electricity?

Due to the recent effort to become greener, bathroom fans haver become a lot more efficient as opposed to fans 10+ years ago. Nowadays, bathroom fans are much more efficient and only require minimal wattage to power, allowing for better performance at a lower cost.

For some context as to how cheap they are to run, if a bathroom fan is running for an hour every day for a year, the final cost would be under £5.00. There are factors that may affect this, such as size, power and running time, but because bathroom fans are typically used sporadically, the running cost is typically quite low.

4. What Bathroom Fan is Suitable for me?

When it comes to choosing a bathroom fan, there are multiple factors that may influence the decision, other than the price of the fan. Here are some of the main factors:

• Hole Size Consideration - Whether you are replacing an existing fan or installing an entirely new one, it is vital to make sure the desired fan is compatible with the hole on the internal wall before purchasing
• Humidistat - A humidistat tells the fan when to turn on based on the humidity in the bathroom. This can be an excellent power-saving feature and is something to consider before purchasing a fan
• Turn-on Function - There are multiple ways in which a bathroom fan can be turned on or off, including a pullcord, PIR sensor or a humidistat. It is important to decide which would be most suitable for your room before purchasing
• Timer - A timer can be an excellent function if you want the fan to be on at certain times, it can help save energy and cut down on cost. If you want a bathroom fan with a timer, make sure to check each model to see if this is available
• Noise Levels - Modern bathroom fans ordinarily make very little noise, but if noise is a large factor when buying a new bathroom fan, then make sure to check the decibel rating

For further technical information relating to our range of bathroom fans, please telephone our main sales line on 01772 431 216 or email [email protected].