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Mechanical Extract Ventilation

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  • 26-10-2013 5:52pm
    #1
    MicktheMan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,837 ✭✭✭


    Hi Folks,

    Situation is a standard enough 10yo 2 bed apartment with poor ventilation leading to high internal relative humidity, condensation on windows etc.
    Currently there are trickle vents in all windows, a recirculation cooker hood and a standard intermittent axial extractor fan in the bathroom with approx. 8m of flexi ducting running horizontally to the outside wall vent (bathroom has no window), i.e. useless. This bathroom fan is activated by the light switch and no overrun.

    The apartment is rented and will be for the foreseeable future and the landlady (not me btw) wants to ensure there is sufficient ventilation and that she is not at the mercy of the tenants whether they open vents/windows etc

    What I suggest she do is the following:
    1. Change the cooker hood to an extraction cooker hood
    2. Replace the current bathroom extractor with a proper unit which has two speeds and is controlled by a centrally located humidistat which will boost the unit speed when RH goes above, say, 65%. The unit would run 24/7 on background ventilation speed (i.e. a continuous extraction system). Due to noise concerns, I would think this unit could be installed on the external wall and ducted back to the bathroom. There would also be a manual corded toggle switch in the bathroom to boost unit for, say, 20 minutes, if showering for instance.
    3. Cut out vents in all internal doors to aid the free movement of air.

    So what I need to know is :
    1. What equipment is needed?
    2. Who does such type of work (apartment is in Cork city), is an electrician the right trade?
    3. Any recommendations (by pm please)?


Comments

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    #2
    antoinolachtnai
    Registered Users Posts: 9,807 ✭✭✭antoinolachtnai


    I think your advice re extraction cooker hood is very good, if it is possible in the premises with the location of walls, etc.

    Replacing the bathroom extractor fan with one which will overrun and/or have a humidistat a good idea.

    I would try these two above items first. These should be straightforward for an electrician to do. He will be able to source and supply what is needed. These two items, done properly should reduce the water vapour in the apartment to a massive extent. Landlady can also instruct tenants to run the cooker hood for a while every day if the problems continue.

    I don't think mounting the fan extractor on the external wall will work very well at all. It is possible, but not easy. I don't think running the bathroom fan 24H is a great idea. You will always have the noise issue.

    If you did really want a fan running all the time to provide trickle ventilation, it wouldn't necessarily have to be in bathroom.

    I would look to see if there is any way to improve the clothes drying situation as well. Driers, etc could be part of the issue.


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    #3
    MicktheMan
    Registered Users Posts: 2,837 ✭✭✭MicktheMan


    antoinolachtnai wrote: »
    I don't think mounting the fan extractor on the external wall will work very well at all. It is possible, but not easy. I don't think running the bathroom fan 24H is a great idea. You will always have the noise issue.

    If you did really want a fan running all the time to provide trickle ventilation, it wouldn't necessarily have to be in bathroom.

    Thanks for reply.
    The idea of installing an external fan is to reduce the noise impact indoors. The reason for choosing the bathroom for the continuous background ventilation is that there is already a duct in place from the bathroom to external wall (length approx. 8m).


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