Ways To Improve Your Bathroom Ventilation
Your bathroom should feel clean and cool or warm, depending on what you’ve set the temperature at for the bath or shower. It should never feel unpleasantly muggy, musty, or moldy. Bad ventilation is easy to spot. Watch for excessive condensation on the mirror and windows, mildew and mold forming on the ceiling and walls, and nasty odors. Here are a few ways to improve your bathroom ventilation.
Check the Vent Fan
If your bathroom has a window, crack it open occasionally and let the fresh air inside. Unfortunately, many bathrooms with ventilation issues don’t have windows. Instead, they have a vent fan in or near the ceiling. The fan is supposed to draw wet air and bad smells outside. If things smell despite running the fan, it might need cleaning or maintenance. Clean the outside of the grill, or take it off altogether and clean it.
If a thorough cleaning doesn’t solve the issue, check the circuit breaker. The vent might be getting power but not running. In that case, call a repair person. You may not need to replace it with a ceiling concealed mini split, but it still needs repairs.
Open the Curtain or Shower Door
This might seem counterintuitive. You’re done with your shower, so you shut off the water and close the door or curtain, right? Wrong! Partially open the curtain or door so the air can circulate unimpeded throughout the room. This will keep things dryer and prevent mold and mildew buildup. Also, you won’t have to run the vent fan for so long. Open up your shower and let the circulating air do its job. And leave the bathroom door open!
Dry Up!
You should have a bath mat waiting to soak up the water dripping off you after a bath or shower. Make sure it’s fluffy and absorbent. If condensation from the curtain is dripping down and pooling around the perimeter of the tub or shower, pull it in and ensure that water goes to the drain where it belongs. Also, make sure your faucet or showerhead aren’t spraying water every which way. Finally, sop up any remaining water with a towel or mop. Water is the enemy, so don’t let it establish a beachhead!
