It is extremely important that the bathrooms in your home are well ventilated, without proper ventilation the bathroom can quickly begin to smell and steam up after use. If there is no way to eliminate odors then even a simple task like dying ones hair can become a challenge. It is important to find ways to properly ventilate the bathroom; windows and bathroom vent fans are but two ways to go about it.
Not every home is situated in such a way that the bathrooms have windows to the outside. For those that are fortunate enough to have windows in the bathroom, this allows for fresh air to be drawn in and circulated throughout the room. Although an open bathroom window can make things uncomfortable in the winter it is a great idea if the bathroom does have a window if physically possible.
If the location of or the design of the bathroom is not conducive for a window installation then the next solution is the installation of bathroom vent fans. These fans draw the air in the bathroom, including the odors and the moisture out and exhaust it into the outside air. Installing a bathroom vent fan is great for those situations where a window is not a possibility but even those homes with a bathroom window can benefit from a vent fan, for one thing, it will eliminate the chill that comes from an open window.
Bathroom vent fans are often wired in such a fashion that they come on when the light switch is thrown although a separate switch can be used. In many cases the second approach is preferred because it is not always necessary to vent the bathroom, simply going to wash your hands rarely warrants the fan to run but if the light and fan both operate on a common switch there is no alternative. Independent switches let the homeowner save a little on the electric bill.
The effectiveness of bathroom vent fans can vary depending on the size of the fan in CFM, cubic feet per minute of air moved. Perhaps the most effective solution to odor and moisture removal in the bathroom is a combination of a window and a fan, even leaving the bathroom door open when not in use can help.
