Like me, you dread going to the bathroom without a bath fan. It can be incredibly stifling and unpleasant. It can also be a bit dangerous if you’re trying to avoid getting sick. Thankfully, there are some ways that you can deal with this situation until you’re able to get a new exhaust vent or fan installed.
We’ll discuss the 11 best ways to deal with a bathroom without a bathroom exhaust fan and eliminate odors!
Use a Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is an excellent method to keep the area less humid when you don’t have an extractor fan. Dehumidifiers are built to perform such a function. However, it is critical to ensure that it is as far away from any water source as feasible. Using a dehumidifier to dry the air also helps stop mold from growing since mold thrives in dampness.
We highly recommend leaving the dehumidifier on for at least an hour after a shower to rid the bathroom free of any steam entirely. You don’t need to worry about the dehumidifier blowing chilly air, especially in cold weather. Most blow warm air because heat helps decrease humidity when proper ventilation is present.
Open a Window
If you have a bathroom window, opening it can assist you in removing most of the dampness from your bathroom. Though, you must remember to open the window before bathing for this technique to be effective. By opening your windows while you shower or bathe, the steam won’t have time to condense and ruin everything, making drying quicker.
The only downside to showering with a window open is that it can become cold during winter or, in some extreme cases, a privacy issue. But there’s an easy solution: install bathroom vents in your window!
Leave the Door Open
There are several benefits to leaving the bathroom door open after bathing or showering. Most of these pros are linked to how it’s an easy yet effective method for keeping your bathroom dry when you don’t have access to a fan. The open door allows moist air to exit the bathroom and mix with less moist air throughout the rest of the house, reducing the chance of water damage and mold or mildew growth.
Run Whole House Ventilation
Even if you don’t have a bathroom fan, running your whole-house ventilation will still be beneficial. If you don’t run it continuously, the ideal approach is to turn it on ahead of time and leave the bathroom door open while you shower or bathe. Once again, this raises issues of intimacy. So, if leaving the door open during your shower or bath isn’t an option, make sure to leave it empty afterward.
To limit the spread of water, use a shower curtain.
Many people think having a shower without any enclosure or cubicle looks more chic and minimalist. If that’s the look you’re going for, great! However, if your bathroom doesn’t have a fan, then it’s essential to have either a shower curtain or some full cubicle surrounding the shower area, so mold and mildew don’t build up.
Water in the shower will drain away, but water on the floor or other surfaces in the bathroom will collect. If you do not have a bathroom ventilation, one of your objectives should be to prevent water from spraying out of the shower while you are using it. The best methods to stop water from splashing out of the battery while you use it are a curtain or a full cubicle. To keep the curtain mold and mildew-free, purchase a mildew-resistant shower curtain.
Keep the Wet Towels out of the Bathroom
If you don’t hang your wet towels up to dry, they will make your bathroom air more humid. This will cause your towels to stay moist for longer in a poorly ventilated bathroom.
The easiest solution is to store your damp towels out of the bathroom. Bath towels or bath sheets are ideal since they just get used once or twice a day. However, hand towels may become moist and contribute to the moisture problem in your bathroom, so exchange them every day or every second day.
You may either leave them in the sun or the dryer, so you don’t have to wash them all the time. Remember about your bath mat as well as your shower floor mat. Non-fabric blinds also might improve over fabric window curtains because they block more light (and heat).
Dry Walls/Floor After Taking a Shower
When you don’t have a bathroom fan, it’s a good idea to manually dry your walls and floor using a squeegee (Amazon) and a towel after showering. You may need to wait until the steam has gone before returning.
This will remove the water from the most prominent surfaces in your bathroom that don’t have a drain. This protects these areas from water damage and stops there from being as much sitting water that can evaporate and go into your bathroom ventilation. However, like tip number eight says, once you’re done drying the walls and floor with towels, don’t leave them in your bathroom!
Take Shorter and Cooler Showers
The problem with water in the bathroom doesn’t come from baths or showers because that water drains. The moisture comes from splashing and steam. This is what we’ll be addressing with our technique–steam. A shorter storm cuts down on time for the smoke to fill the room.
When the water in a steam shower is heated, it changes into evaporated water (steam), as you know. As a result, a more excellent shower creates less smoke. You don’t have to take an ice-cold shower; decrease the temperature by a notch. A potential downside to this is that if you’re looking to take a hot shower, the bathroom will be too steamy, and you’ll end up cold.
Do choose the right bathroom fan.
If you don’t have a bathroom window, your city’s building code almost certainly requires a bathroom vent fan. These fans remove moist bathroom air and odors from the room and moisture. There are many styles to select, including box fans that install in the ceiling and combine bathroom fan/light fixtures. Bathroom fans are frequently vented via ductwork that leads to the house’s roof.
Consider Using an Air Purifier
Absorbing odors, dust, and other air pollutants are one of the most used bathroom exhaust fans. Air purifiers can do all these things in addition to filtering out mold spores and bacteria. Most air purifiers have no mechanism to absorb excess moisture from the air. Another method I recommend using alongside air purifiers is humidistats to monitor humidity levels in your bathroom.
Floor Duct Vent
Unlike a ceiling vent, floor duct vents take the air you want to ventilate and likely send it to your basement. They can work together more effectively if you have both types of vents. Unfortunately, installing either type of these ventilation system additions is costly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do bathroom exhaust fans need to be vented outside?
Outside ventilation is necessary for bathroom fan installation. You’ll have to vent through a house’s sidewall if the fan isn’t reachable via an attic.
Does a bathroom need an exhaust vent or fan?
Use your bathroom’s extractor fan after each shower, or have it repaired as soon as possible if it is faulty. The purpose of the exhaust vent fan is to remove moisture, bad smells, and old air. If it’s not functioning correctly, bacteria and mold will grow unchecked.
Does a bathroom need a fan by code?
Some building codes are surprisingly lax when it comes to bathroom fans. Some municipalities have different standards, but no one draws a rigid distinction between exhaust fans and ventilation in bathrooms. Ventilation in bathrooms is necessary for those areas. However, it can be provided by a window or fan, as desired.
Do bathroom fans help prevent mold?
The most excellent method to combat bathroom mold is correctly installing a bathroom fan. The fan should be run outside the house—seal leaks around the fan’s ceiling installation with spray foam or caulk.
