Energy adviser: Now's the time to fight mold, mildew

17.05.12

Spiritless, damp weather in the Pacific Northwest means bathrooms and showers, as well as window sills and even walls, can become susceptible to mold and mildew.

In the worst cases, the moisture can wick into bordering wall timbers and generate dry rot and other structural damage, as well as health problems for some people.

“A lot of homeowners and renters countenance this problem with our cold-but-humid winters,” said DuWayne Dunham, an energy counselor at Clark Exposed Utilities.

Builders have long battled to keep moisture and cold air outside, and dry air and heat inside. Homeowners phizog the challenge now more than ever because a modern home is built to be energy-efficient, or “tighter.” Tighter homes truly hold in more moisture.

During Western Washington’s heating season, when humidity levels often exceed 40 percent, moisture that hangs in the air can condense, turning into not be sensible and possibly adding to a moldy indoor environment. Even house plants and firewood stacked entrails can add to an indoor humidity problem.

Source: The Columbian

Does running the fan in the bathroom really help remove bad oders?

Feb 12, 2008 by GeminiVirgo1971 | Posted in Other - Home & Garden

I sorry, isn't that ceiling fan a dehumidifier designed to pull out steam from the shower?

Having a fan in the bathroom will slam withdraw air out of the room even if it is stinky air.

I had a bathroom in my house that did not have a fan. I had one installed and there is a difference.

Ma Dukes | Feb 12, 2008

I never heared such detail before.
Sarah X | Feb 12, 2008

Having a fan in the bathroom will nab air out of the room even if it is stinky air.

I had a bathroom in my house that did not have a fan. I had one installed and there is a difference.
roxledford | Feb 12, 2008

No it does in reality remove all bad odours, as well as steam. Mine is so good I can see the had towel move every time it comes on!
Penny J | Feb 12, 2008

The Bathroom fans are for removing moisture. A lit candle will take trouble oneself of Uncle Charlies odor.
mike4400 | Feb 12, 2008

Bath fans get rid of odors and moisture. Their main function is to remove moisture from using the tub or shower. Since most bathrooms do not have windows, drain fans have become code in new construction. Mold and mildew grow fast in moist areas. Bath fans
sensible_man | Feb 12, 2008

I have a old bathroom, in which it is impossible to install an exhaust fan.Is there an Alt. besides window fan?

Sep 08, 2008 by Brandon B | Posted in Do It Yourself (DIY)

I have a 1920s high style bathroom that I am currently remodeling. I recently found out that is was going to be extremely expensive to put in an exhaust fan and because that house is so old and it might later well-spring some leaking problems. Is there

how about a through the try fan? If you have wall space in the bathroom you can use one of these. Or something similar
http://www.bathfans.com/index.cfm/page/p roduct:display/productId/508/fabricate r/Broan

Docar | Sep 08, 2008

HRV vs. whole house dehumidifier to decrease winter window condensation?

Sep 22, 2011 by Helen | Posted in Maintenance & Repairs

We reside in Wisconsin, in a house that is about 7 yrs old. Every winter we battle dripping condensation on the inside of windows. We run bathroom fans, caboose fan, keep window coverings up, etc. So we are at the point of installing an HRV system or

Winter window condensation problems are a trait of a well-insulated, airtight home. Outside air is very dry in the winter in WI. Old homes had a lot of leaks, and were therefore very dry in the winter, so Grandma boiled a pot of first and our parents

| Sep 22, 2011

Bathroom Dehumidifier Fan - Bookshelf


Your mobile home energy and repair guide
138 pages 		Your mobile home energy and repair guide

Creator: John Krigger | House & Home - 1991-11-01
1.8 Exhaust Fans and Dehumidifiers Every mobile home should have a properly operating bathroom exhaust fan and ducted kitchen range hood or wall exhaust. lf ...
Moisture control in buildings
485 pages 		Moisture control in buildings

Creator: Heinz R. Trechsel | House & Home - 1994-02
In the author's own home, the bathroom exhaust fan is controlled with a ... successful in a wide range of conditions is to install a portable dehumidifier. ...
Publisher: ASTM International
About this book
Fundamentals of transport and storage of moisture in building materials and components. Modeling heat, air, and moisture transport through building materials and components. Relevant moisture properties of building construction materials. Effects of moisture on the thermal performance of insulating materials. Moisture-related properties of wood and the effect of moisture on wood and wood products. Moisture, organisms, and health effects. Climate. Moisture sources. Effect of air infiltration and ventilation. Heating and cooling equipment. Design tools. Measurement techniques and instrumentation. Troubleshooting. Case studies of moisture problems in residences. General construction principles. General considerations for roofs. Moisture control for new residentisl buildings. New high-rise commercial and residential buildings. Recommendations for remedial and preventive actions for existing residential buildings. Recommendations for remedial and preventive actions for existing commercial, institutional,...
About the House with Henri de Marne, How to Maintain, Repair, Upgrade, and Enjoy Your Home
453 pages 		About the House with Henri de Marne, How to Maintain, Repair, Upgrade, and Enjoy Your Home

Creator: Henri De Marne | House & Home - 2007-03
Protection from water damage Dehumidifier is no solution for bathroom moisture V . When I take a shower I turn on the ceiling fan but, in spite of that, ...
Publisher: Upper Access Books
About this book
Henri de Marne is among America's best-known experts on every aspect of home ownership. For 32 years, people have depended on him for answers to questions such as:. What should I do when moss is growing on the north side of a roof?. How can I stop the toilet tank from sweating?. How can I paint a basement floor and not have the paint peel off?. What is the best way to get rid of carpenter ants?. Where can I get replacement hardware for my old windows?. Why have my windows been steaming up ever since I installed a new furnace?The one disadvantage of a column, of course, is that you don't necessarily save all those columns, to be handy when you need the information.This is a big collection--probably the most complete handbook for homeowners that has ever been published--and in the same conversational, easy-to-understand language that readers have come to expect over the years.

Bathroom Dehumidifier Fan - News


Home repair: Fan may dry wet spots under basement furniture
Chicago Daily Herald - May 17, 2012
The dryer vents fa, as do all the bathroom exhaust fans. Currently the humidity level is about 65 percent. We have tried a stand-alone 50-pint dehumidifier in the basement, and it runs almost constantly. I always understand of adding a humidifier to the

Energy adviser: Now's the time to fight mold, mildew
The Columbian - May 17, 2012
Tsongas' recommendations for moisture supervision in homes include a heavy reliance on high-volume ventilation exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms. These fans should strain outdoors, should be located directly over showers and tubs, and could possibly