Your bathroom extractor fan is a vital tool to keep mould and damp at bay in your bathroom, when it starts to struggle or is no longer efficient there are often warning signs to look out for.
If your extractor fan is approaching it’s tenth year, or you can’t even remember the last time you had it replaced, it’s definitely time to install a new one. Often a distinct noise will come from a poor extractor fan, this can sound like something is rattling around inside or the motor is grinding. If you find yourself jumping out of the shower, getting dressed and re-visiting the bathroom some time later and it’s STILL wet and foggy - this more often than not means it’s no longer able to do the job it’s intended to.
How can I test if my extractor fan is working at all?
Other than the usual obvious signs of moisture not leaving the room after you get out of the shower or bath, there is another little trick you can do to test whether it is still flowing air - no tools needed!
Start by turning on the extractor fan, then grab a single sheet of tissue paper and place this over the fan, no need to try and push this inside - you simply need to hold it against the fan. If you notice that the tissue is indeed being pulled towards the fan and can stay in place against the fan without you holding it, this is a sign that the fan does indeed work. However, this doesn’t technically prove that it’s working efficiently as this test simply proves that air is able to move through the fan, not that the fan is working at the standard it should be. If you’re experiencing issues with steam just lingering and not clearing and the sounds mentioned earlier coming from the fan, it’s most likely time to upgrade.
When should I consider a new bathroom extractor fan?
We recently attended a customer's property in Fairview close, Chigwell. This was a semi detached 70's home and the couple had been living here a long time. The customer contacted us as they were noticing their bathroom extractor fan was noisy and steam was taking an awfully long time to clear, unfortunately they also noticed the start of black mould forming around the window to the bathroom.
We always recommend that as soon as you notice that steam is taking longer to clear or a strange sound coming from the fan, you call your local electrician for bathroom extractor fan replacement. We’ve seen cases where people have just left it and before they know it, their bathroom is covered in black mould - it can happen so quickly. Black mould thrives in a damp environment, once you give it the right environment to grow, it can take as little as 24-48 hours for it to appear in a damp bathroom without the appropriate ventilation.
Remember, just because the fan turns on doesn’t mean it’s doing the job properly.
Protect your home from mould - replace your bathroom extractor fan
A bathroom extractor fan not working properly isn’t just one of those annoying things that happen in the home that you can put off, it’s protecting your home from damp and mould. Bathrooms are extra vulnerable to mould, not just because of the damp but because of the porous materials used in them such as sealant and grout. A healthy extractor fan will extract the moisture from the room, not allowing this to settle and cause any damage.
Tack Electrical Solutions - Your trusted electrician for extractor fan replacement in Chigwell
If you’re suffering from a faulty or aged extractor fan, we’d love to help! Fill in our contact form or give us a call, we can arrange a time best for you for us to arrange an extractor fan replacement in your bathroom.
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