The Importance of Proper Ventilation in a Bathroom

9/4/2018 (Permalink)

Mold in a Poorly Ventilated Bathroom

Here’s a very common scenario.You step out of a nice hot shower and you have to wipe off your vanity wall mirror to see yourself because of all the steam that has built up in the room.. You chalk it up as a minor inconvenience. However consider this: if your bathroom mirror is fogging up, where is all the excess moisture from your shower also going? The answer is, that it accumulates behind the walls and tile as well as the tub or shower, with potentially bad results. Think mildew and mold, and while a lot of people really like all the steam that results from a hot shower, mold is an entirely different story. The good news is that you don’t have to give up hot showers or steamy filled bathrooms to protect your family from the health risks associated with mold. Instead, install adequate exhaust fans in your bathrooms and keep them running long enough to achieve proper ventilation. This is especially important for bathrooms with no windows. Also, make sure to leave any doors and windows open for additional ventilation.

Installing a bath exhaust fan is very beneficial in the case of allowing steam and humidity to escape. However, improper installation can lead to bigger problems than just some mold growth on the ceiling. Do not vent the bath exhaust directly into the attic hoping it will exit some other roof vent. Bath fan exhaust can and does cause massive mold blooms and wood rot in attic spaces. The fan exhaust must vent directly to the exterior of the home. People often notice water dripping from the fan cover and think they have a roof leak. More often than not, the issue is water flowing back down the pipe into the fan. This can result in mold growth on the backside of the ceiling which won’t be detected until it’s too late. The way to avoid this problem is to invest in a one-piece insulated flexible piping that prevents condensation and leaks. If you decide to use this option, be sure to consult a professional or bath fan manufacturer about the best way to connect this pipe to the fan and fittings.

In the case that mold does begin to grow or even consume your bathroom ceiling or attic, we at SERVPRO of Garden Grove East / Anaheim Central would be more than willing to eliminate the issue in your home using our mold remediation process. Give us a call today for a free inspection.