Proper ventilation is essential to ensure your bathroom is clean and fresh, providing you with safety and comfort while using it. Wondering what type of ventilation to choose for your bathroom? You'll find the answer here.
Types of Ventilation
There are two main types of ventilation in a bathroom: gravity and mechanical. It is very important that ventilation in a place like the bathroom works properly and that airflow is ensured, as a lack of it can lead to the growth of harmful fungi and moulds, as well as increased humidity in the room. If you have a gas heater in your bathroom, you absolutely cannot neglect good air circulation. A lack of air supply to the heater can pose a deadly threat due to the backflow of fumes into the room. Therefore, ensure your bathroom is well ventilated for your health, safety, and comfort.
Gravity Ventilation
This is the basic type of ventilation used in most bathrooms in different types of buildings. If you live in an apartment block, this is likely the type of ventilation you have in your home, as it is a standard solution planned during the construction of the building. There is a ventilation grille located under the ceiling, no less than 15 cm from its edge, leading to a duct that exits onto the roof. This type of ventilation operates automatically—the air from the apartment is drawn out through the ventilation duct to the outside. This is caused by the temperature difference between the indoor and outdoor air, which is why this type of ventilation works best in winter and autumn when this difference is the largest.
For gravity ventilation in the bathroom to work correctly, a constant supply of air to the bathroom must be ensured. Door bottom vents serve this purpose. If you are keen to avoid having such vents or grilles, you can opt to trim the bathroom door so air flows under it. For proper ventilation, the gap under the door must be at least 2.5 cm wide.
The ventilation grille under the ceiling should be as far away from the door as possible, so the incoming air can circulate throughout the entire room. Also, remember not to install any insect nets in the ventilation grille. Water vapour and pollutants will settle on the net and may obstruct or completely prevent air from flowing through the ventilation grille, rendering ventilation ineffective.
Mechanical Ventilation
In some cases, basic gravity ventilation may prove insufficient. If you have doubts about whether your bathroom grille is functioning properly, you can easily check it. Hold a small piece of toilet paper or tissue near the grille and see if its loose end is drawn towards the grille. You can also use a lit match and observe its flame. If it moves towards the grille, everything is fine; if not, your ventilation may not be working correctly. Also, check if air flows freely through the bathroom door.
If, despite using gravity ventilation, the air does not circulate properly, it may be due to the chimney being too short or the temperature difference being too small. In this situation, it is necessary to use mechanical ventilation. This involves installing a small fan instead of a ventilation grille, which draws air outwards.
Mechanical ventilation is supposed to support gravity ventilation, and this is the case in most situations, but not always. Sometimes the fan blades block the free air flow, which is why it should only be installed when gravity ventilation completely fails.
It's a good idea to connect the mechanical fan to the bathroom light switch so it only operates when using the room. To ensure optimal ventilation of the bathroom, you can set the fan to switch off with a delay, for example, 10 minutes after the light is turned off. This way, the bathroom will be thoroughly ventilated, for example, after a bath.
Very importantly, do not use such fans if you use a gas heater. The operation of the fan can disrupt the exhaust flow into the chimney and thereby expose you to deadly poisoning. It's not worth the risk!
Gas Heater and Bathroom Ventilation
If you use hot water supplied to your apartment by a municipal company or if you have an electric boiler, you can freely use both gravity and mechanical ventilation. In the worst-case scenario, if airflow is insufficient, excess moisture will accumulate in your bathroom, which you'll easily notice and can take appropriate steps.
In the case of a gas heater, the issue is more complicated because improper ventilation can have very dangerous consequences. A constant supply of fresh air is needed for gas combustion, which is why gravity ventilation, which works flawlessly, is necessary. There must be vents in your doors for air to flow, and the ventilation grille cannot be installed lower than 15 cm from the ceiling. The use of mechanical ventilation is unacceptable, as the fan can disrupt the oxygen supply to the heater, thus causing the release of toxic carbon monoxide into the room.
If you use a gas heater, for the safety of you and your family, equip yourself with a carbon monoxide (CO) detector. Such a device costs around 100 zł, but it can save your life. In the event of detecting carbon monoxide in the air, the detector triggers a loud alarm to warn you of the danger. It's not worth skimping on this device, as it can protect you from very serious health consequences. Also, ensure regular inspections of your heater and the chimney flue's serviceability by qualified professionals.