Bathroom window open with extractor fan on?

sophieschoice

I asked my genius electrician the self same question a while back.
His answer was that the open window and operating fan would work against each other so use one or the other.

sophieschoice

I asked my genius electrician the self same question a while back.
His answer was that the open window and operating fan would work against each other so use one or the other.

cyclonebri1

sophieschoice wrote: »

I asked my genius electrician the self same question a while back.
His answer was that the open window and operating fan would work against each other so use one or the other.

He isn't so smart after all then. Given a closed door, normal when the fan is running, the fan will be under less load with the window open than with it closed, but what I said earlier still applies.
I will say my method is window open, door closed when in shower.
Then widow closed and door open after to clear room quickest, again it all depends where the window is in relation to the extractor, and if the fan is actually man enough to clear the room in itself. I think that's the real reason most have to open a window, the fan on it's own isn't capable. Those little 4" units have quite a poor extraction rate;);)

Prothet_of_Doom

In my shower room, which has no window, you can feel the air coming under the door, and through the hole where there used to be a lock.

Condenstaion will form on cold surfaces, so opening the window in winter may cause the mirrors and walls to be colder and condenstaion to form

lstar337

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

I think that's the real reason most have to open a window, the fan on it's own isn't capable. Those little 4" units have quite a poor extraction rate;);)

Yeah, that's exactly it. Our little fan is pants.

I would love to leave the door open when extracting, but our mischievous little cat will shred the toilet roll, and knock the plants off the window sill. Sometimes I feel like pushing him through the fan, but then I remember it's not powerful enough to chop him into little pieces!:rotfl:

StuC75

The fan will work at the same rate whether the window is open or closed (there's no difference in the fan speed).

By opening the window you can see if the steam is being drawn out of the window, rather than air being sucked into the room (obviously this could differ on the proximity of the fan to the window)..

Its not like air conditioning where there is the risk of hot air being brought in which would then need to be cooled..

cyclonebri1

StuC75 wrote: »

The fan will work at the same rate whether the window is open or closed (there's no difference in the fan speed).

By opening the window you can see if the steam is being drawn out of the window, rather than air being sucked into the room (obviously this could differ on the proximity of the fan to the window)..

Its not like air conditioning where there is the risk of hot air being brought in which would then need to be cooled..

The pedantic truth is that the fan does slow down, be it ever so slightly, with the door/window closed. The more efficient or capable the fan the more pronounced the loss. In effect it's trying to create a vacuum.

Ok, in practice with a low powered 4" fan it makes little effect, the leakage is greater than the fans flow rate, but by the time you get up to a 6" unit, the type I have installed, you can detect a change in loading of the fan with the door and window open or closed.

evoke

Tried a shower this morning with the window closed and just the extractor fan running. Bathroom was steamed up like a good 'un! Never again.

I do have a powerful extractor fan but I also have a decent hot shower that produces a lot of steam. The window needs to be open slightly to produce enough movement in the air for the extractor fan to operate efficiently.

MoneyMate

As previously mentioned it must depend on the location of Window Extractor fan ( with extraction rate ) to the source of the problem Bath/Shower, If the Fan is near to the window surely it is pointless having the window and extractor working together.

lstar337

MoneyMate wrote: »

As previously mentioned it must depend on the location of Window Extractor fan ( with extraction rate ) to the source of the problem Bath/Shower, If the Fan is near to the window surely it is pointless having the window and extractor working together.

Not for me, mine are less than a foot apart, but then the extractor is pretty pathetic.

For me, its window open, or nothing happens!