Need to ventilate your windowless bathroom? Read on to find out how...
A bathroom is an area of high humidity, wet surfaces and excessive moisture. It is the one room in the home that stays mostly wet throughout the day, with people using the space for showering and washing.
Well-ventilated bathrooms are a must for a reason. There is an excess moisture build up in the air. This must be able to escape in order to keep the air dry, improve air circulation and allow moisture in the floor to evaporate fast enough. Without a proper ventilation system, you will be met with several problems in the long run. A humid bathroom means that creating better air quality is difficult. Despite leaving a bathroom door open for natural ventilation, fresh air and to remove moisture, the indoor air quality is never as good without an exhaust fan. Wet towels in a small bathroom can leave musty smells whilst they still absorb moisture. An air purifier can help with this and control humidity.
Keeping your bathroom dry and moisture-free can be as easy as installing a window. A windowless bathroom is filled with humid air and warm air. Adding a window is generally sufficient enough to circulate the air in a bathroom, preventing an excess of moisture from building up.
Windows may not be for everyone, everyone If that is the case, how then do you air out a bathroom without windows? Windows are not the only way to ensure sufficient ventilation. Other forms of ventilation systems exist, and there are several additional steps you can take to help keep your bathroom dry and moisture-free.
The importance of proper bathroom ventilation
The main reason why bathrooms have to be very well-ventilated is due to the amount of moisture and lack of fresh air retained in bathrooms throughout the day. Moisture is a recipe for disaster as it can easily lead to mould and mildew infestations which thrive in humid and damp conditions and can ruin your shower curtain.
Mould isn’t only unsightly, but it can also cause a bad smell as well. This smell is unable to escape due to poor ventilation, and over time, it will only get progressively worse.
Moisture can also easily seep into the walls and floors, causing water damage. Wooden structures will easily rot and metals will easily rust as well in an overly damp environment with moist air. A bathroom fan or air conditioner will assist with this issue.
How to improve ventilation in a windowless bathroom
Use a ventilation fan
Besides windows, ventilation fans or an exhaust fan are common options to be installed in bathrooms. Many homeowners would rather not have windows in their bathrooms, or simply can’t install one, hence they use ventilation fans instead to control warm and moist air from a hot shower
A ventilation or exhaust fan can help draw air out of the bathroom quickly, pulling any excess moisture in the air along as well. This allows the moisture in the floors and walls to evaporate at a much quicker rate as well, keeping things as dry as possible.
Ventilation fans are a great replacement for windows as they help circulate air just as well, if not better. However, it is important that you get a fan that is power-rated for your bathroom size to ensure that there is sufficient ventilation.
Wipe away water that has pooled in your bathroom
Whilst ventilation will help remove excess moisture in the air when there is a windowless bathroom, they don’t help very much when it comes to large amounts of water that take time to dry. Wiping away spills and water that has pooled in the corners of the bathroom can help keep things nice and dry.
We even recommend wiping off the condensation that occurs on bathroom mirrors and glass panels to prevent as much moisture from building up as possible in a windowless bathroom. Whilst this may seem like a tedious task to carry out every time you use your bathroom, it helps to keep your bathroom dry and moisture-free. The bathroom air is fresher.
Keep the doors open
Keeping the door open after using the bathroom is a great way to help ventilate the bathroom if there aren't any windows. This lets out any steam that has built up when you were taking a shower or a bath, keeping your bathroom fresh. If possible, leave the doors open while you use the bathroom as well to prevent moisture build up and high humidity.
Portable fans
Portable bathroom fans can help with wet spots in the bathroom and keep the bathroom cool. You should place one facing areas that accumulate moisture easily to help moisture evaporate much quicker. This prevents these areas from getting infested with mould or even accumulating damage from prolonged water exposure.
Use a dehumidifier
Dehumidifiers are commonly used in living spaces such as the living room and bedrooms, but did you know that installing them in bathrooms is a great idea as well? Dehumidifiers help draw moisture in from the surroundings, and installing them in bathrooms to keep the humidity level down is a no-brainer. However, dehumidifiers won’t be sufficient enough on their own and should be used to aid with keeping the room dry and bathroom ventilation.
Dry your towels outside
Most people dry their used towels inside their bathroom, but this only builds up more moisture in the bathroom and lowers the indoor air quality. Water that drips from towels can also cause pools of water to form, which is a cause for concern if your bathroom isn’t ventilated well enough. Drying towels inside can also lead to an unpleasant, musty smell with too much moisture.
It is recommended that you dry your towels outside instead to prevent a buildup of moisture, keeping the room drier.
Use moisture absorbers
If your bathroom gets humid easily, moisture absorbers are a great addition to have in the bathroom. Moisture absorbers are typically made out of calcium chloride and come packaged in small bags that can be hung. This makes it easy to place in certain areas of the bathrooms. All you need are some suction cup hooks that can be easily purchased at any dollar store.
What is great about these moisture absorbers is that they can be placed in drawers and cupboards in your bathroom. These enclosed places tend to trap humid air and moisture easily and having the means to remove the buildup of excess moisture is simply great.
Conclusion
Keeping your bathroom adequately ventilated is important to prevent excess moisture and warm air from building up, which can lead to all sorts of other problems such as mould, lack of fresh air and unpleasant smells. However, if you are unable to or simply prefer not to install windows in your bathroom, do not worry. There are plenty of other ways to keep your bathroom dry and moisture-free, such as heated floors. With these different ways available, windows are not a necessity anymore.
Need some bathroom styling ideas?
At Victoria Plum, we’re full of fresh modern bathroom ideas, so why not check out inspirational bathrooms on our blog? If you’re interested in a specific style, our Get the Look style guides are a great place to start.
