We’ve mentioned before about how bathroom vents play a key and critical role in helping to reduce and eliminate humidity in your home. The reality is that removing humidity after a bath or shower is key to prevent mold from growing or developing in your living areas.
So, once you have a bathroom vent installed, it’s important to regularly focus on maintenance and insulation.
Here are 5 easy and simple ways to get your bathroom vents ready for winter (even if you aren’t!).
1. Clean the intake grates to make sure that air can flow through freely.
Intake grates often get coated with fluff, lint and other things from regular use, so make sure they are clean and not sticky or coated with anything that could prevent air from flowing freely. Overall, a decrease in air flow reduces the vent’s ability to remove humidity.
It can also cause your fan’s motor to overheat and then reduce its use and lifespan!
2. Ensure the space between the fan’s housing and the drywall continues to have a tight seal.
When an exhaust fan is installed, experts advise that the opening made in the wall or ceiling to house the unit should only be as large as needed to house the device; however, sometimes do-it-yourself-ers or even professional contractors create a hole that is much larger than necessary.
It’s important to ensure a tight seal between the fan and drywall and to periodically check it. Foam insulation or caulk can be used to ensure a tight seal.
We recommend checking it at least every change of season.
3. Insulate any vent pipes that go through a “cold space” before they exit to the outdoors.
Proper and adequate insulation will help reduce and prevent condensation on the pipe’s exterior as warm exhaust air passes through the cold space. One example of a cold space is your attic. Condensation that passes through an attic, for example, can lead to unchecked mold growth there and elsewhere.
4. Ensure that exhaust air is not being redirected somewhere else, such as into an attic, soffit, crawlspace or other areas inside your home, or within another adjoining or adjacent dwelling unit.
5. Ensure a flapper is installed on the vent pipe outside the home in order to prevent cold air from backflowing or returning into the bathroom.
Are you battling a mold problem or potential problem in your bathroom or elsewhere in your home? Call us for a free phone consult at 416-575-6111 and we can help ensure your bathroom venting is in tip top condition!
