WTS! What’s that smell?! There is nothing like smell of a damp, musty, bathroom! Where is it coming from? And what causes the smell? Let’s dive into ventilation.
Winter is the best time to address your ventilation or lack thereof because it’s easier to see & smell. Steam from the shower rises as you use the hot water, it then cools and lands on the walls and floor of the bathroom. The purpose of ventilating is to remove the steam from your bathroom as well as creating as negative atmosphere making it difficult for the steam to escape to the rest of your house.
In a well-ventilated bathroom there is less opportunity for mould to grow, damp walls, damp towels and reduce the risk of black mould settling in and causing illness. When a bathroom isn’t well ventilated it can lead to damp wet area’s that mould love to grow in & then comes the damp smell. The dampness can creep further than the bathroom and settle in surrounding bedrooms and living areas contributing to mould spores. Mould spores contribute to respiratory illness especially in our vulnerable the young and old generations. A deep clean of the amenities in the bathroom including the walls and ceiling helps reduce the mould, hanging damp towels on a heated towel rail and removing clothes from the bathroom floor keeps your bathroom healthy.
Ventilation options:
A ducted bathroom fan: designed to draw the steam from the shower / bath and disbursing it to the outside air helps reduce the steam and damp bathroom. The fan needs to be above or on a surrounding wall of the shower to be effective the closer the better.
A window is also effective but is slower to get the steam out as its works on the steam drifting towards the window as opposed a fan which draws the steam to it by the spinning mechanism inside the fan. A skylight works the same way, opening the window / sky light after using the shower allows the steam to leave the bathroom. However, a window can create positive pressure which can push the steam into the house,
Being proactive especially during winter months helps keep your homes dry and healthy giving you the best recovery from those dreaded winter bugs! Deep cleaning is so on trend right now 😊