What to do about condensation in bathroom??

[yorkmoore (WavyGlass)]

I know the answer should be easy, but for some reason, I can't grasp it, even enough to figure out who to call. This is our first winter in our house. Showers in the summer weren't an issue- I just the humidity hung in the air, but now that the avg temp inside is 62, when anyone showers, condensation is forming on the walls & ceiling. it has gotten so bad that we have mold growth & peeling paint. Last year, insulation was blown into the attic, so my guess is that some of the moisture that had once been escaping upwards is no longer able to do so. I also believe that the tub was moved from the position directly in front of the window, like the one downstairs, to the center wall in the bathroom. We do open that window before showers, as well as the window over the door, and keep it open at least an hour afterwards (frequently forgotten & left open for several hours).

There is not an exhaust fan installed in here. Would that be the answer? Then the exhaust goes where?
I called the plumber & he told me he doesn't do anything involving electricity. The electrician I contacted seemed disinterested & has not returned my calls.
The other issue is that the only access to the attic is a 2'x2' hole in the top of a hallway closet (we assume there used to be a steep staircase).

I can add a photo if that would be helpful!
Thanks again,
Stephanie



The bath is 17'x7' with 11' ceilings

[wletson]

Definitely sounds like an exhaust fan would be helpful.
A good general handyman would likely be your best bet as to who to contact. Electricians aren't going to be into the idea of cutting holes in the ceiling and roof. Oh, and that's the answer to one of your questions, you have to direct the air from your bathroom to outside the house, likely through the roof. Don't just pump the air into your attic. That can cause the condensation to build up up there, and cause rot and other issues.
Depending on what you have available for power in the room, you may have to contact an electrician to do the power.

Having said all that, a picture is never a bad idea. If nothing else, we are a nosey bunch and like to see other people's spaces.

[arwenmark]

Yes you need a good exhaust fan, vented to the outside. Be sure to turn it on before you shower and leave it going at least 20 min after you shower.

[wletson]

Oh, just checking, do you leave the door open to the room when you have the window open?
A closed door, even with the exhaust fan, won't allow air to be removed.

[SkipW]

I second (or third or fourth) the exhaust fan idea. It will take the hot moist air off the ceiling and bring dryer cooler air in through the door or window over the door in the winter and through the open outside window in the summer. Good circulation is key to removing he moisture. As wletson said, without any way to replace the air you remove, you won't have any circulation.

[Kashka-Kat]

Have a tiny bathroom with shower in the downstairs apartment that used to get moldy - not anymore! Just some slight peeling of paint but that's it. We didn't open up the ceiling - dropped down the ceiling instead to accommodate fan and covered with beadboard - looks nice. (since ceiling was so tall - about 10 & 1/2 feet - and the bathroom so narrow - only about 5 feet - the lower ceiling actually improved the looks.)

The fan is vented out the wall and it is super quiet and energy efficient, has a motion detector to turn it on & off, and no switch so tenants dont get a choice about whether to use it or not. I was told that ideally, you wouldnt want it to go out the wall because the moist air could be a problem for the exterior walls or eaves, but if that's not possible then just do what you can do.

[yorkmoore (WavyGlass)]

So, the handyman just left. He believes for an exhaust fan to be big enough to pull, it needs to be seperate from the light fixture. He's also concerned about tying into the current electricity in there, as it looks like some of the lines were actually run up the plumbing lines (!). So, he will have to run 150' of conduit to the breaker box outside, by running it up thru the attic & then down the side of the house. He also thinks it should be a heater/fan combo? as the walls/temp is so cold in that bathroom. Sounds expensive...

As you can see from the pictures, they had a leak in this room, when the house was vacant, which bestroyed the walls, floor, and ceiling below. I was hoping for the simple exhaust fan that tied into the light fixture.

[csnyder (WavyGlass)]

Yikes. In your case, I'd consider having an electrician do the wiring - they might come up with a better route to run new wires (a good electrician can do a masterful job of fishing wires while causing minimal damage), or they might verify that the existing wiring is adequate after all.

Depending on the individual, I'm fine with a handyman doing some simple electrical work as part of a bigger job. The instant that the electrical work becomes significant, however, I want to call in a licensed pro.

I think that you can find a fan/light combo that will satisfy your requirements. Try plugging the dimensions in the room into a bath fan calculator (like this one - found via Google; no idea if the company is any good), and see what models would meet the requirements. Panasonic makes excellent fans that are quiet and efficient (albeit on the pricey side).

As far as the heater option goes... that's entirely up to your preference. I'd rather address the cold areas with weatherizing, insulation, and evaluating the central heating system (in that order) before using a stopgap measure like that. If you like the idea of stepping out of the shower to under a heat lamp, though, and decide that the luxury is worth the cost (not just the equipment - remember that electric heat is expensive, especially compared to natural gas), then by all means go for it.

[yorkmoore (WavyGlass)]

Double-yikes! According to the charts, I wil need a 140-150 CFM rated fan. I know they felt like it needed a seperate breaker. The temp doesn't bother me, they talked like the difference in temperture between the room & the shower was creating the condensation issue, but a large exhaust fan should take care of that, you think? I told them running the heat higher upstairs wasn't an option, as our natural gas bill is frequently over $350, and we live in the South. We keep the upstairs on 59 & downstairs on 62, but upstairs rarely even cycles on.
Weatherization is certainly an issue. This was our first winter & we have lots to learn, and even more to seal!

[csnyder (WavyGlass)]

Looking at the specifications for a couple of 150 CFM models with built-in lights, it looks like they wouldn't draw more than an amp or two. It's a completely different game if you add a heater, though - a 1500W heater would absolutely require its own circuit.

Unless you're showering in cold water, there's always going to be a temperature difference between the shower and the bathroom. You're right - an adequately-sized fan will take care of the condensation.

How well do you know this handyman? Perhaps they're simply misinformed, but it seems to me like they're trying to push the heater option in order to get more work.

Have you had an energy audit done of the house? There are a variety of government and utility subsidies available to reduce/eliminate the cost, and even one at full price (ours cost $300) will likely pay for itself quite quickly. They'll show you the low hanging fruit that you can address cheaply, as well as give you an idea of how quickly a major improvement can be expected to pay for itself. There may also be low-interest financing available for larger improvements.

We're also in our first year in the house; our highest gas bill this winter was $210 - not bad for 2500 sqft and 58 windows in Michigan. We keep the heat at 66 (day) / 64 (night).