How You Can Reduce Condensation in Your Bathroom

How You Can Reduce Condensation in Your Bathroom

By Ruth MacEachern

Product Manager

Excessive condensation can lead to problems with damp and mould that can damage the fabric of your home and be harmful to health.  Baths and showers are one of the biggest contributors to household condensation, releasing an average of 1.7 litres of water into the air which will eventually condense on walls, windows, and ceilings.  Thankfully, there are ways to reduce the amount of condensation in your bathroom.

Water Vapour Can Be a Problem in Any Room

Condensation in bathrooms is less of a problem than in other rooms of your home.  Most bathroom surfaces are impermeable to water – tiles, mirrors, and special paints used in bathrooms mean that there are fewer opportunities for condensation to soak through into the underlying materials where it can cause damp and mould, but unfortunately, the humid air from your bathroom can easily escape into other parts of the house such as bedrooms where it can kickstart mildew growth in wardrobes and on bedding where it can be more dangerous to health.

Tips for Reducing Condensation in Your Bathroom

Start Filling Your Bath with Cold Water

The hotter the water in your bath, the more steam it releases into the surrounding air.  If you start off your bath with cold water rather than waiting until the end, it won’t get as hot and release as much water vapour – it will also save you a little bit of money every time you fill the tub!

Make Sure Your Extractor Fan is Running

Running your extractor fan while you are in the bath or shower is the most important thing you can do.  The extractor fan will quickly expel humid air and create a pressure gradient that stops steam escaping into the rest of your home.

If your fan is noisy in use and disturbs your relaxation in the bath, it might not be working efficiently.  Check for any build up of dust on the blades and clean it out.  Excessive noise might mean that the motor is failing and needs to be replaced.

Keep Your Bathroom Door Closed

Leaving a bathroom door open while in the bathroom or shower is a bad idea.  Even with your extractor fan running, steam can easily escape into the rest of your home and start to form condensation and damp. 

Keeping the door closed while bathing and for about half an hour after you have finished helps to contain the steam in a room where it can do less harm.

Wipe Down Surfaces

After a shower, it is a good idea to wipe down wet surfaces such as the shower door and tiled walls with a squeegee.  This reduces the amount of moisture left to evaporate after you have left the room and takes away the opportunity for mould to grow on any bathroom fittings.

Speak to an expert

If you are struggling with condensation in your home, or have discovered mould or damp patches, we can help.  Our local ventilation specialists offer a free home survey service that will identify the causes of condensation in your house.  They can provide you with helpful advice about the best way of preventing condensation from becoming a problem.  Simply enter your postcode below to find your local specialist.