One of the most used rooms in any house is the bathroom, but it is also the room that can make or mar your home experience. Due to the nature of its use, moisture can damage the structure if it is not properly vented. Besides, excessive moisture buildup can adversely affect your health.
If your bathroom does not have a window, you must find a way to reduce the buildup of water in the air for your health and home safety. Otherwise, the house will become an excellent breeding ground for insects and may aggravate allergies and asthma.
Fortunately, there are other ways to circulate the air in your bathroom, even if there is no window. This article explains some steps to take to fix this problem.
Correctly Venting a Windowless Bathroom
If you want to release the moist and smelly excess air in your bathroom, there are methods to consider. Dehumidifiers or exhaust fans will do the job, but you can also use doors with slats or leave the regular door open after using the bathroom.
Let’s look at these and other methods, and how you can employ them as part of venting your bathroom:
1. Use an Exhaust Fan
One of the commonest ways to reduce the excessive moisture and remove the smell in the air is to increase air circulation. And to do this, you will need a powerful fan. This is where an exhaust fan comes into the picture.
A bathroom exhaust fan will efficiently extract or remove moisture from the air and keep it clean without needing a window. However, you must ensure you have the correct size and type for your bathroom to get the best results.
The amount of air a fan moves per minute determines how effective it will be in circulating air in the bathroom. So, the Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM) of any exhaust fan you pick must be high enough to circulate air in the room based on its size. You can speak with a professional to learn the best size for your specific needs.
2. Add Air Vents
In some cases, you can opt for a vent in the bathroom instead of putting in a new window. Renovating your bathroom just to install a window for proper ventilation may not be viable because of the cost implications.
Vents will allow the air to flow out of the bathroom to reduce air moisture. They will also allow fresh air into the room from outside; the air circulation will be better if you channel the vents outdoors instead of into another room. Like the fan, good vent ducts will lower the risk of mold growth.
3. Absorb Moisture
Installing and using a fan of any type can add to your electricity consumption, especially if you need to run it for long periods. So, if an increase in electricity bills is an issue, you can use another method to ventilate the bathroom, such as a moisture-absorbing product.
One such product is calcium chloride crystals. These crystals have a high-absorption power and work well in bathrooms with humidity issues. If these crystals are not easily accessible in your area, you can look for other similar products that suit your style and do not create an odor.
Another simple moisture-absorbing technique to employ is to spread materials that easily absorb moisture. For example, plush rugs work well in keeping the air free of excess moisture. Therefore, consider changing them as often as three times a week.
Alternatively, use thick towels; hang them around the bathroom and replace them as often as possible. These are simple tricks that only a few people use but work well if you are out of options.
4. Install a Fan
We have talked about using an exhaust fan, but this type is not always a viable option. So, you can use a regular or venting fan, such as a standing or ceiling fan. If you are battling stagnant air, proper air circulation is what you need, and an exhaust fan is not the only appliance to do the job.
A ceiling fan is ideal for a bathroom because of its location. Also, if you put a vent close to the ceiling, the recirculating fan improves its capacity to remove stagnant air and let in fresh air into the bathroom.
5. Other Appliances You Can Use
A dehumidifier is another excellent appliance that can reduce the condensation in your bathroom and leave the air feeling cleaner and fresher. Invest in one and use it as regularly as the bathroom feels stuffy or after every bath.
If money is not an issue, consider installing an air conditioner, although an exhaust fan or a portable humidifier should get the job done. You can only use an AC if a dehumidifier or fan does not clear the air as well as you desire.
6. Keep the Room Dry
When using the bathroom, ensure there is no excess water spillage. Keep the shower door shut as tightly as possible. If you use a bathtub, mop the floor after each soak and ensure it is dry. Use absorbent rags or towels for the best results when cleaning the floor.
A shower curtain contributes to excess water droplets on the floor; if you use one, ensure it drips entirely into the shower or bathtub instead of on the floor. Furthermore, clean the shower door or bathroom closure after every bath; the more water you leave on it, the higher the humidity and likelihood of mold or mildew.
In addition, check faucets to ensure nothing is leaking. Fix any leaky faucet and wipe every surface where moisture can condense, especially if you regularly use hot water. It is crucial to do this regularly to vent the bathroom properly.
A fan or dehumidifier can only handle about half of the dampness in any bathroom. You will need to take care of the rest through other methods, such as manually drying the room.
7. Remove Wet Towels
Many users usually use and leave thick towels in bathrooms. While it is not always convenient to take the towels out because of a lack of sunning space, they will worsen the look and feel of a windowless bathroom if you leave them there over time.
You do not have to take them outside; simply removing them from the bathroom lessens the humidity levels in the air. Note that a thick wet towel takes too long to dry in a bathroom without a window than it does in a room with a window.
Besides, the towel is less likely to breed harmful organisms when it properly dries. If possible, use many towels so that you will have options for changing them.
8. Put Up Potted Plants
Some of us already use potted plants in our bathrooms, but did you know it helps to combat excessive moisture in the room? Green plants release fresh oxygen, and this can improve the quality of the air in any room, including the bathroom.
However, not all green plants do well in a humid, dark, or warm room, which is what a bathroom typically is. So, you must carefully select the type of plants to put in your bathroom. You must also consider the level of humidity typically found in your bathroom.
For example, air plants are excellent bathroom plants because they have no trouble growing with moist air around them and without soil. But they do not thrive with too much light, so must watch how much light is around them.
Also, a spider plant works well in a humid and toxic room. It not only reduces moisture but also removes toxins, which makes it perfect for a bathroom without proper ventilation.
9. Open All Doors and Windows
If there is no window, use every door around it to improve the bathroom ventilation. You can close the bathroom door while in there, but leave it open afterward to let out the warm air. Open other doors through which you can have direct access to the bathroom, such as the bedroom door.
Open windows in the room or hallway closest to the bathroom. You will have better airflow around the house and bathroom if you open many doors and windows with outside access.
An extra tip: Remove dirty clothes or the laundry basket from the bathroom if you have them there. The clothes will mop up too much moisture and add to the humidity. The longer they stay there, the worse the air becomes, even if you remove wet towels, and bath rugs, and open all doors and windows.
If nothing else seems to work, you can contact a professional, especially if venting the bathroom does not solve a preexisting moisture problem. Doing this prevents structural damage or an infestation.
Final Thoughts
Venting a bathroom is not a difficult task, and there are many different methods to do it. You can add a ceiling vent, but ensure it faces outdoors so that clean and fresh air can circulate in the room.
A bathroom vent fan or dehumidifier can also work to circulate air in the room. Remove wet towels, rugs, and rags, and replace them with fresh dry ones. Open the bathroom door and other adjoining doors for proper airflow and better air quality.