In the UK, the need for ventilation in bathrooms is set out in the Building Regulations Approved Document F. As anyone who has ever tried to read one of these documents will know, it seems to be worded with the deliberate intention of making things as unclear as possible. So we at ATSPACE will do our best to translate for you. 

In brief, the document states: 

• •  law requires a bathroom to be ventilated by either a window or an extractor fan.

• •  If your bathroom has a toilet only, then a window as your sole form of ventilation is fine.

• •  In bathrooms with baths and showers, mechanical ventilation is required in the form of an extractor fan. This is because new-builds           these days are built to be more airtight, so natural ventilation is much lower.

• •  The ventilation requirements for a bathroom extractor fan is 15 litres per second/ 54m3 per hour.

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• So already, we can establish that there are cases where you don’t actually need to install an extractor fan in a bathroom. However, just because you don’t need to doesn’t mean you don’t want one installed anyway. Here are a few reasons that bathroom extractors are always great to have: 

• •  To reduce condensation. We’ve all got out of a hot shower or bath and had to wade through the fog to find our towel.

• •  To prevent mould. That condensation we mentioned in the point above, well it can lead to a worse problem: mould. Proper ventilation          helps stop it from forming.

• •  To extend the life of your bathroom. Condensation and mould both contribute to damage to your fixtures and fittings, not to mention          your tiling and grout. An extractor fan is a great line of defence against this.

• •  To keep odours away. Finally, all that damp, stale air can lead to unpleasant smells in your bathroom. A fan helps keep your air nice and      fresh.

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In summary, having an extractor fan fitted can ensure you get the best out of your bathroom for the longest time possible.