Hoods for bathroom and toilet

Good ventilation in the toilet and bathroom is of the utmost importance. After all, these rooms differ not only in high humidity. With their insufficient ventilation, penetration of unpleasant odors from the neighbors into the apartment is quite possible. To rid yourself of such troubles, as well as prevent the appearance in the bathroom of fungus or mold, it is necessary to provide an efficient extract from the toilet and the bathroom. What types of fans exist for these rooms and how to choose all the necessary ventilation components? Can I do the job myself or do I have to hire professionals?

What types of ventilation are there?

Hoods for the bathroom and toilet can be divided into two groups depending on the principle of their operation:

• Natural ventilation is found in most Soviet-built houses and is the most common. Such a system is simple, it does not need a fan to operate, and it requires virtually no maintenance. Air is drawn out due to the pressure difference in the apartment and outside it, due to different air temperatures. But in hot weather, the effectiveness of such a hood decreases, even the effect of reverse traction is possible. Therefore, residents of apartment buildings are often forced to modify it with their own hands, for example, to equip the duct hole with a special valve.
• Forced ventilation is carried out by installing fans or other appliances in the hood. As a rule, forced ventilation is combined with natural ventilation. In most cases, this system does not function continuously, but at certain intervals, which depend on the characteristics of the installed devices or the operating mode selected by consumer. Installation of forced ventilation requires the installation of additional electrical wiring in the bathroom or toilet to connect fans or other devices. Therefore, its installation is advisable to coincide with the repair. In addition, this hood requires periodic maintenance to ensure efficient uptime.

When is forced ventilation necessary?

Before you purchase and put a fan in the bathroom or toilet, you need to make sure that there really needs forced ventilation. To understand that conventional hoods are not enough, you can on the following grounds:

• The inflow and outflow of air from the premises is not enough. It is simple to check: open the door to the toilet or bathroom and attach a sheet of paper to the ventilation grill. With adequate ventilation, the sheet should adhere to the grill.

On some forums you can find tips on using a candle or a lit match when checking ventilation. In apartment buildings, using this method is undesirable: you can never be completely sure that there are no combustible or explosive gases in the duct that have got there from other apartments.

• There is a backdraft effect - unpleasant odors from neighbors get into the room from the hood, which then spread throughout the house.
• Condensation accumulates on pipes and walls, stains of mold or mildew appear.

In addition, forced ventilation is necessary if you plan to install a steam generator or electric sauna in the bathroom.

Fan selection for forced exhaust

Having decided to put in the bathroom forced hood, you need to select the desired fan model. In the variety of models presented on the modern market, it is easy to get confused. What should I look for when planning to install do-it-yourself hoods for the bathroom and toilet?

At the location of the device, the following types of fans are distinguished:

• Overhead, mounted at the entrance to the duct. Their installation is the simplest.
• Duct located inside the ventilation shafts.

At the location of the fans are:

• wall mounted;
• Ceiling
• roof.

In apartment buildings, overhead wall fans for hoods are most often mounted. Their installation does not cause difficulties, even if you do it yourself.

When calculating and buying hood elements, it is better to choose models that have a non-return valve in their configuration. This is especially true for apartment buildings. Ventilation in the bathroom and toilet works at certain times. The non-return valve will prevent air and odors from entering the room during those times when the fan is not working.

According to the principle of action, they distinguish:

• paddle fans;
• centrifugal.

In most apartments, axial blade models are installed, radial ones can be seen much less often.

When choosing a specific model, it is necessary to take into account the following points:

• Safety - the device will work in conditions of high humidity, you should also consider the possibility of water droplets. Therefore, you should opt for devices marked IP45 and above. The moisture protection of these fans allows them to withstand even direct water jets.
• The noise level of the exhaust fan must not exceed 25 dB. Due to the possible tiling, the bathroom has good acoustics, so the lower the noise of the fan, the better.
• It is important to choose the power of the device correctly. Too powerful a device will not work in optimal mode, money paid for increased power will be lost. Even worse, if excess power leads to excessive blowing of the room. A weak device will simply not be able to complete its task.

The required fan power can be obtained if the room volume is multiplied by the frequency of air renewal in it per unit time. In the bathroom or the bathroom, the air should change 6-8 times per hour. For most typical apartments, a fan with a capacity of at least 60 m3 / hour is suitable. It is better to choose a model with a small margin of power, this will extend its life by working in optimal mode, and not at full load.

Additional functions

Household fans for bathrooms often have a variety of additional features.

• Check valve - as mentioned above, it is simply indispensable in multi-apartment buildings.
• Motion, humidity, timer, valve sensors - increase the cost of the device, but allow more efficient use of forced exhaust. The usual system, when the fan starts at the same time as the light is turned on, does not always have time to complete its work in the allotted time. Timer, and the humidity sensor, moreover, provides better work of the ventilation system.
• A silencer is usually a silicone gasket that reduces fan noise.

Forced ventilation installation

Do-it-yourself installation of a fan usually does not cause difficulties, but there are points that must be taken into account:

• In most apartments, the hood is attached to an existing duct, which should be opposite the door to create the most favorable conditions for its operation.
• The installation of the fan is more appropriate to coincide with the overhaul of the bathroom, since the electrical wiring will have to be cleaned into the walls. Open wiring can not be used in conditions of high humidity, and boxes will not add beauty to the interior. So if you do not want to spoil the newly laid tile, then there is one alternative - fans on batteries or batteries.

• If the fan casing is placed in the ventilation shaft, then it should be as sized as possible. Ideally, only the decorative grille of the device should remain on the surface of the wall, and the entire main part will be hidden in the ventilation pipe.
• Fastening the hood is recommended using self-tapping screws. But if you do not want to spoil the expensive wall covering, then there is another option: silicone sealant is applied next to the mounting holes and the grid is glued to the tile. After drying, excess sealant is cut off with a sharp knife.
• For better functioning of the hood in the lower part of the front door, you can drill a series of small holes or insert a special grill.

• You can use a separate switch to turn on the fan. If it is planned that the device only works when the light in the bathroom is on, then connect to the light switch. Naturally, a phase wire should pass through it.

Thus, it is not at all difficult to install a forced exhaust hood in a bathroom or toilet with your own hands. The effect of its use more than compensates for your financial and time costs.