do extractors stop mould from forming?

psd99

psd99

psd99

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Just wondering what ocuk's take is on extractor fans..........

I personally hate the noise they generate, but will they stop or prevent mould from forming in bathrooms?
 
The bathroom in my house didn't have one when we bought it and was constantly full of mould. Once i installed one it did help. The bathroom does need completely gutting and needs a new window as well though :)
 
Anything that reduces the build up of moisture will help to prevent mould forming.

I prefer bathroom extractor fans to be controlled by a dedicated switch, rather than being linked to the bathroom lights so that you don’t wake others when you go for a slash at 3am.

No timers either.
 
One of the flats I used to rent had a pretty bad problem with mould forming, and it didn't have an extractor fan at all. You had to have the window wide open (which is less than ideal in winter).

We solved it by buying proper bathroom paint specifically designed to prevent mould. We never even had the slightest sign of mould for the few years we were there after that.

That said, I would still always have an extractor if it was at all possible.
 
Terminal_Boy said:
Anything that reduces the build up of moisture will help to prevent mould forming.

I prefer bathroom extractor fans to be controlled by a dedicated switch, rather than being linked to the bathroom lights so that you don’t wake others when you go for a slash at 3am.

No timers either.
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Glad I am not the only one that hates them wired into the light switch and on a timer
 
Haze said:
Glad I am not the only one that hates them wired into the light switch and on a timer
Click to expand...

There should only be an isolated, and the fan should be controlled by a humidistat. Both manual control and wired to a light switch / timer are daft.

I'm pondering replacing the extractor we have with an inline one in the loft space to help reduce the noise.
 
I installed an inline one which not only has the benefit of greater airflow, but also helps to reduce noise, with it being in the loft.
Although having now created an office in my loft space I would say it was quieter than the old one anyway.
 
I'd say an inline is definitely the way to go. I've found they're rated at a higher flowrate than most surface mounted fans, and from my experience, they seem to be quieter too.

I find there's no "best" way to control them though, a humidistat control would be great for ensuring sufficient water vapour removal, without turning on unnecessarily, but you also want it on to help remove smells, which this wouldn't do. In my opinion, a timer from the light is the best compromise, especially if the fan is an inline as you barely hear it anyway so it won't wake anyone.
 
My light switch is way noisier than my extractor fan. Can't imagine the fan waking anyone up. And I set it to the high airflow setting, rather than the quiet one.

The downstairs bathroom, on the other hand, has a knackered fan (probably a bearing going) and that one makes a racket. Have removed the fuse so that it doesn't come on. The shower in that room doesn't get used anyway.
 
My dad installed an extractor fan about 1 foot and wall mounted at head height from the shower head.

In the shower minding my own business and it suddenly exploded.

It was only then that I realised how utterly daft my dad had been to have one installed so close to the shower head. It was soaked.

Extractors are great but you have to keep them clean and nothing beats a window
 
Do extractors stop mould from forming?
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On their own, probably not. Personally, as well as an extractor fan I also use a Bosch GlassVac on the shower walls and then wipe down uneven things like the water inlet control, the shower door handle, etc. with a microfibre cloth.

However, I believe that not having an extractor fan in the bathroom is absolute madness - it should be one that includes a timer and a humidistat - I favour the Xpelair C4HTS although I have also had Ventaxia extractor fans and they were fine.

If you already have mould, you could try using HG Mould remover Spray, in my experience it works well - or bleach - or vinegar.
 
That Ventaxia doesn't include a Humidistat - have a look at the Xpelair C4HTS on Amazon - it does include a humidistat and is a lot cheaper that the Screwfix variant and in my experience is very quiet.
 
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