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Bathroom fan condensation

16 years ago

The condensation coming from the exhaust fan in my bathroom was so bad I had to remove the fan, I would have to put a bucket on the floor to catch the water when ever anyone took a shower. Now I am getting mold on the ceiling so I guess I have to put the fan back in. Does any one know how I can install a new fan that will not condensate? I live in the Chicago area so the attic gets very cold in the winter (that's the only time of year it would condensate).

Comments (3)

ventupete
16 years ago
A couple of suggestions. First, if your vent duct runs mainly horizontal, make sure it isn't sloped back to the fan. Second, wrap insualtion around the duct which will go a long way to preventing the condensation where it runs through the cold attic.
tom_p_pa
16 years ago
You can also install an exhaust fan directly in the wall. There are some decent ones on the market.

More importantly, make sure you leave your fan running after your shower is over so it properly evacuates the "steamy" exhaust from the ducts and pulls in drier air from the rest of your home and dries out the ducts. Depending on how your system is, you may need to do this for 20 to 30 minutes. Put a timer on your fan so it automatically turns off after a pre-set period so you do not leave it running all day mistakenly if you leave your home.
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@Mike Blasko "There is 1/4 inch of space between the shower and adjacent glass on three sides." Not sure what you are referring to. - Thanks for the input. I just mean that mean all the way around the door there is a small amount of space (See attached picture). Other wise everything is sealed. I need to double check with my contractor, but I am pretty sure there is a vapor barrier behind the tile. I have no issues with water dripping on me while using the steam shower. Everything inside of the steam shower works fine. My issue is condensation on the wall outside the steam shower and water dripping from the fan, which is located just outside the steam shower.
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ventupete
16 years ago
Leviton makes some really good electronic timer switches with a choice of four preset time buttons on them (2-5-10-15; 10-20-30-60; etc.). You will need a neutral wire (white) in the switchbox. Most of the time it's there but it's possible for the box to be wired without one, so check to see that white wires are in the box before you buy one.

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