Exhaust hood in the bathroom: selection rules and installation features

The bathroom is characterized by high humidity. Steam condenses on the ceiling and walls, leading to the formation of fungus and mold.To prevent these processes, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the issues of arranging ventilation and selecting an exhaust fan. Do you agree?

We will tell you which bathroom hood will be the best solution for you. The article we propose describes the varieties in detail and provides guidelines for choosing the best option. Do-it-yourselfers will find step-by-step guidance and practical advice on installation here.

Types of exhaust fans

Modern hoods intended for installation in the bathroom are divided into 2 types: simple and automatic. They differ from each other in design, availability of additional options and cost. The hood must supply from 25 m³/h fresh air for a separate room, from 50 m³ in the case of a combined bathroom.

The simple equipment is an electric fan, which is located in a tubular plastic housing. It can be of two types - built-in or free-standing.

Automatic exhaust devices are easier to operate and require minimal participation of the premises owner in the air exchange control process

A popular way to turn on the device is by pressing the switch that provides lighting in the bathroom. This option makes it possible to remove contaminated air from the bathroom when a person is in it.

Automatic equipment is equipped with electronics that effectively control the operation of the device.

In a short period of time, moisture does not have time to completely evaporate from the room, so it is better to install a separate switch

Hoods are equipped with additional functions:

• shutdown timer;
• humidity sensors;
• colored backlight.

The fan turns on when the permissible humidity value is exceeded. As soon as this parameter returns to normal, the device turns off.

Automatic models are convenient and easy-to-use devices that do not require the intervention of the apartment owner to control the operation of the ventilation system

Automatic products can be equipped with other functions. In private houses, the ventilation system communicates directly with the street, so their owners will not be harmed by a fan on the supply pipe with an adjustable diffuser.

Part models are equipped with a check valvepreventing air from moving in the opposite direction. This option is useful for residents of apartments in high-rise buildings to protect themselves from the odors of the neighbor’s bathroom.

Despite the simplicity of the design of the bathroom exhaust system, it functions perfectly and copes with its tasks

A modern hood designed for installation in a bathroom has a forced operating principle. The device consists of a fan and an air duct connected to the building's ventilation duct.

The axial exhaust fan has a relatively simple design, which does not affect the functionality of the device. In terms of performance properties, it can compete with air conditioners

To choose the optimal hood, you have to take into account the characteristics of the bathroom and the types of existing ventilation systems. Devices may differ in design, operating principle, power and the presence of additional functions.

Types of bathroom ventilation

To ensure air exchange in an enclosed space, natural or forced ventilation can be used. The first option does not require the use of special equipment that performs specific functions.

The second involves the use of fans, air heaters, engines, air cooling devices and other additional devices. Will introduce the principles of ventilation in sanitary and hygienic premises next article, which we strongly recommend reading.

A natural option for air renewal

Air flows enter the room, after which they are displaced due to different temperatures and pressures. You can create free circulation by slightly opened door. But it will work ideally only if there is a stable flow of air from the street, which does not happen in hot weather.

In high-rise buildings, the ventilation shaft serves all apartments via a riser. The entrance to it is closed with a grill, and the effectiveness of cleaning depends on the general condition. In suburban buildings, ventilation ducts are installed during the construction stage.

In a rebuilt private house, you can make changes to the ventilation system. To do this, the pipes are led out into the attic of the building.

When installing a natural hood, the following rules must be followed:

1. The grille in the bathroom/lavatory should be located in the upper part of the room - on the wall or in the ceiling.
2. The inner surface of the pipes must be perfectly smooth.
3. Protrusions and turns of the air duct reduce circulation efficiency by 5%.

Natural ventilation is considered not very effective, since air flows cannot be controlled and their power cannot be influenced. However, it is often used in multi-apartment residential buildings and is often used in country buildings used for seasonal living, for example, as a summer house.

More often, natural ventilation gives the required result due to the pressure difference between the window and the door. The tightness of the doors interferes with the operation of the ventilation duct

Features of forced ventilation

In the bathrooms of buildings equipped with sealed window and door structures, mechanical evacuation of exhaust air using mechanical devices is used. This can be a overhead or duct fan. It turns on when necessary and creates traction.

In private buildings, ducts are often installed that remove waste air flow through the attic of the house. The fan is designed for effective hood polluted air, and fresh air can enter the bathroom through an open door.

Compact forced ventilation takes up minimal space in the room, but is sufficient for effective ventilation of the bathroom

Types of fans for enclosed spaces

There are 2 types of equipment used in bathrooms, toilets and combined toilets. These are axial and radial exhaust devices. The latter are also called centrifugal.

The axial devices are a shaft on which a classic impeller is mounted. Its blades are made at an angle. When the shaft rotates, the air flow is drawn in. Such a fan is used if the pressure created with its help is sufficient to ensure normal air exchange.

Buying a household axial fan is a rational decision for owners of apartments and private houses. It allows you to create a comfortable environment in the room by investing a minimum of money.

With radial devices, the air flow is drawn into the center, after which it ends up in a casing with blades. Due to their location in the central part, a vacuum is observed, and the centrifugal force pushes air masses to the edges of the housing, which are discharged through the outlet pipe into the ventilation duct.

The most popular are overhead models - they work much more efficiently and quieter, and are capable of evacuating volumes that axial models cannot handle. Based on the level of equipment, fans of the centrifugal operating principle are divided into basic and with additional options. The latter can work automatically.

Automatic centrifugal products are additionally equipped with a timer and sensors. They allow the owner of the premises to control the operation of the equipment

Basic parameters of a bath hood

The specifics of the bathroom prompted developers to produce devices adapted to rooms with high humidity. The housing of an electrically powered fan must be airtight. The internal structure of the equipment is reliably protected on all sides from exposure to wet steam.

Attention to the characteristics of the device

For consumers, the International Electrotechnical Commission has developed a certain standard for the reliability of electronic devices. It is designated IP and consists of two numbers.

The first value can be from 0 to 6 and indicates the degree of protection from the penetration of impurities. The second digit determines level of protection against moisture. To use the product in the bathroom the indicator should be at least 4.

Each product must have a certificate that determines its level of safety. For the bathroom it is better to choose a device whose IP is greater than 34

Power and performance are closely related. The higher the first indicator, the greater the second will be. You can find out the performance indicator by multiplying the square footage of the bathroom by the number of people living in the house.

If the fan is equipped with many additional functions, its power can be a maximum of 10% higher than the calculated one. The most popular are economical and virtually silent devices that consume from 7 to 20 W.

When operating devices with a high power rating, there is a draft in the room, and it will not be able to warm up sufficiently.

Another important characteristic is the noise level that the device’s blades create during operation. It is much quieter than using a kitchen hood. The standard acceptable for an exhaust device is considered to be a sound of 30 db and below. This is explained by the fact that a person perceives all sounds over 35 dbhow unpleasant and obsessive.

Timer, hygrostat, check valve

Standard bathroom ventilation units are mechanically controlled or operate in a slow, constant mode.A timer is an additional device that allows you to semi-automate the process.

After the person left the bathroom, exhaust fan, thanks to the timer, continues to evacuate exhaust air for some time. Once completed, it turns itself off.

Instructions for installing and connecting the exhaust device to the standard switch can be found in next article, which covers these difficult issues in detail.

Smoky air, steam fumes and the smell of food being prepared in the kitchen are not conducive to a normal microclimate in an apartment or house. To solve this problem, it is recommended to install hoods in the bathroom and kitchen

Having a humidity sensor is the best option for the bathroom. A hygrometer is considered the best control method, as it allows you to set a humidity threshold from 40 to 100%, upon reaching which the fan automatically turns on. A humidistat and a timer are not often used together. Typically, if there is a humidity sensor, a timer is not required.

With equipment ventilation in a country house you need to measure the hole in the bathroom or toilet, which will allow you to determine the diameter of the air duct. The standard fitting size of the hood is from 100 to 130 mm. If necessary, the hole in the bathroom wall can be enlarged using a hammer drill.

The best option for ensuring normal air exchange and a comfortable indoor climate is to select a ventilation device of the required size

A non-return valve is a small and simple device that will prevent unpleasant odors from neighbors from penetrating into your apartment. It is practically indispensable in city baths and toilets connected to a common ventilation duct.

How to choose the right device?

When installing a ventilation system in the bathroom, you will need to choose an exhaust device. First of all, you need to determine its capabilities, which consist in the ability to move a specific volume of air. This indicator depends on the diameter of the device.

Manufacturers offer devices with pipe cross-sections of 80, 100, 120, 150 mm. For Khrushchev, the optimal diameter will be 80 mm or 100 mm. In new buildings, apartments have an improved layout; here it is better to choose a section of 120 mm.

An equally important factor is appearance. Many manufacturers produce hoods with a replaceable outer panel. Fans from Elicent, Electrolux, Ballu, Timberk and other brands come in a variety of colors and shades.

The advantages of hood models with a removable panel are ease of maintenance and the ability to bring bold design ideas to life

An attractive and stylish device can be made an accent element of the interior or fit in so that it does not catch the eye. When choosing, you need to take into account that water should not come into contact with electricity - the fan will have to work in conditions of high humidity.

To avoid troubles with wiring, experts recommend using a product designed for long-term use in such rooms.

It would be useful to check the noise level of the device - unnecessary and unpleasant sounds act as a hearing irritant. When a high-quality bathroom fan is running, it is almost silent.

When you turn on the silent exhaust device, you can hear a little air movement that occurs in the pipe of the device body

It is also worth paying attention to the strength and reliability of the device.A small number of companies specializing in the production of bathroom fans can guarantee that their products will work for several years. The high quality is evidenced by the warranty period from the manufacturer. If it is less than 1 year old, it is better not to buy this device.

Preparing a place for an exhaust fan

Before installation, a number of preparatory works have to be carried out. First of all, you need to check how normally the ventilation duct is functioning by bringing a lit match or candle to the inlet. The flame should angle toward the grate.

If a lit flame indicates that the ventilation duct is clogged, you must urgently take action and clean the device before installing the hood

If the diameter of the ventilation duct hole is larger than the cross section of the fan, then you can insert a plastic or corrugated pipe the required diameter, and seal the voids with mounting foam, cutting off the excess with a sharp knife after the solution has set.

If the hole at the entrance to the shaft has a smaller diameter, it is expanded using a hammer drill.

Selecting the optimal connection scheme

Before installing any model of exhaust fan in the bathroom, you need to decide how it will be connected to the power source.

Today there are different ways to connect a hood:

1. The switch is located on the device body. In this case, it can be turned on or off using a button or cord located on the body.
2. Connecting the device to a separate switch. A switch is installed in front of the bathroom, in which one of the keys turns on the ventilation, and the second turns on the lighting.
3. Automatic fan activation from a humidity or motion sensor.It begins to function if the permissible humidity level is exceeded or movement appears.
4. The device is connected to a light switch. It can be equipped with a timer and connected in parallel with the lamp. It turns on simultaneously with the lighting and turns off when the light is turned off.

The latter method of connecting the device is less popular, since apartment residents often go into the bathroom for a short time to quickly wash their hands, brush their teeth or wash their face. In these cases, the switched on hood will waste electricity.

The connection diagram for ventilation to a light switch is used quite rarely, since for most people a running fan prevents them from relaxing and taking a bath

It is better to lay the wiring under the tiles. If this is not possible, then you can disguise the cable using special plastic boxes.

The procedure for carrying out installation work

Before connecting the fan in the bathroom, you should study the instructions, which describe the detailed installation process. In accordance with the recommendations, the selected model of hood is installed in the bathroom or bathroom.

Actions are performed in a certain sequence:

1. First, remove the front cover and apply liquid nails, silicone or polymer glue to all areas where the product adjoins the wall surface. These materials will provide a strong hold for the relatively lightweight plastic.
2. We insert the device so that the working part together with the electric motor is completely in the wall. Press firmly to the attachment point for several minutes.
3. We install a mosquito net that will prevent various insects and midges from entering the room.
4. We attach the front cover with self-tapping screws, which are included in the kit. This action is carried out last.

When connecting to the power supply, there should be no exposed wires in the room without insulation. They are placed in recessed ventilation ducts using a corrugated casing.

When connecting the hood to the power supply, safety precautions must be observed. First of all, you need to make sure that the electricity in the room is turned off. To connect wires, they do not use twists, but more reliable terminal blocks

Many users connect fans via a contact pair to a light switch. The switch is installed in phase.

For convenience when using the device in the future, you can install a separate button to turn on the hood. If when visiting the bathroom there is no need to operate it, then it is convenient to use only the lighting control key. then the time spent in the room will not be overshadowed by the hum of the rotating blades.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Video #1. How to choose equipment and organize everything correctly:

Video #2. Why do you need a bathroom hood and how to install it:

The hood allows you to get rid of high humidity in the bathroom and eliminate odors penetrating into the room. This is a popular and inexpensive equipment that is easy to install. Popular fan models are produced by Ballu, Timberk, Elicent, Electrolux and others.

Despite the fact that installation work will not take much effort, money and time, the device will become an indispensable assistant in the fight for clean air and a comfortable microclimate.

Tell us about how you improved ventilation in the bathroom by installing a hood.Share the subtleties of doing work that are useful for site visitors. Ask questions, post photos, comment on the material we present in the block located under the text of the article.