Bathroom Fans: What’s Lurking in Your Bathroom without One?

Bathroom fans are one of those things might not seem essential. Even people who have them often ignore them completely. We sometimes hear that the noise is a deterrent, but, more often than not, people simply forget to turn them on. Unfortunately, this can be a very unhealthy habit, since those fans are there for more than just ridding your bathroom of unwanted smells and steamy air. Read on to learn about your bathroom fan, the health problems that can come up if you don’t use it, bathroom air quality, and keeping up with your HVAC in Minneapolis from our bathroom experts.

Bathroom Fans

Bathroom exhaust fans ventilate those small, moist spaces, allowing your air quality to stay safe. Ceiling-mounted fans are common and popular, and they pull your moistened air upward through a vent before expelling it through your home’s ductwork. A small motor keeps the whole thing running, and it is a simple yet effective way to remove air after showering, bathing, or running hot water.

Wall-mounted, inline, and combination units are also available. Bathroom fans are most necessary for smaller bathrooms, but any bathroom that is not very well-ventilated should contain a fan. We recommend checking to make sure your vents lead outside, rather than dumping that moist air into an attic space.

What’s Lurking in Your Bathroom?

The air in home bathrooms fluctuates greatly with varying levels of humidity. Additionally, fumes from various cleaning agents and chemicals can reach high levels of concentration in smaller bathroom spaces. These two factors can not only be damaging to your paint or wallpaper, they can be damaging to your health. Fumes, unwanted odors, and high levels of moisture can all be removed with bathroom fans, and your health will thank you in the long run. Humidity causes mold to grow, and the spores grow quickly and accumulate in your bathrooms. Once mold has taken hold, it can be very difficult to get rid of, which is why prevention is a much better option. Mold and pollutants can be damaging to your property and your health; bathrooms are notorious for these kinds of problems unless they are properly ventilated.

What Can They Do to Your Health?

Mold can be the cause of minor health problems like red eyes and itchy noses, and it can also cause much scarier problems like long-term respiratory problems. Wheezing, coughing, runny noses, rashes, and other symptoms typical of allergic reactions are common with mold. If you or your family members experience these problems, especially if they don’t seem to go away with time, we recommend having a professional come and inspect your home for mold. The constant exposure can be dangerous over time, so it is important to stay on top of the problem.

What Can You Do?

In order to prevent these problems, the best step you can take is to ensure you have a high-quality bathroom exhaust fan. Professionals who specialize in HVAC in Minneapolis can make sure installation goes smoothly and that your equipment is functioning properly. Make sure to turn your fan on when showering or using hot water, even turning it on beforehand to get the process going before the moisture ever has a chance to build up.