Good ventilation is essential in all parts of your home, but it’s vital in areas that produce moisture, such as the bathroom. Without proper ventilation, these areas are prone to dampness and black mould. Too much humidity in the bathroom can also seep out and reach into other areas of your property. 

The best way to prevent this includes investing in powerful bathroom extractor fans. Here’s how you can choose the most powerful bathroom extractor fan for your home. 

What Is An Extractor Fan?

To get started, you must look at all the components that make up a good ventilation fan. An extractor fan is a variation of an electric fan, and these extractor fans are mainly used in bathrooms, kitchens, or laundry rooms. 

Extractor fans are most commonly used in such locations because they extract odours, smoke, and moisture from the areas. There are three main extractor fans: axial, centrifugal, and inline. 

The great thing about extractor fans is that they use little energy ranging around 5-36W. Even the most powerful options make good use of electricity to provide comfort and convenience. 

Still, keep in mind that an extractor fan's electricity consumption depends on the product's brand and model. However, the highest wattage is typically under 40 watts, so you won’t have to worry about high energy bills.  

If you’re thinking of large-scale installations, you can find commercial extractor fans. These have a higher air exchange capacity, making them perfect for commercial kitchens and industrial use. 

Some standard features of extractor fans include their size, voltage, noise level, and the fan’s ability to regulate temperature or humidity changes. Consider these factors when looking for the most powerful bathroom extractor fan.

Purchasing Extractor Fans According To Size

If you want to minimise your energy use, there are specially designed small extractor fans with low voltage features that reduce excess energy use. Despite their compact size, these extractor fans provide excellent air extraction qualities.

Most households use larger extractor fans because they work best for bigger rooms with excessive moisture. Larger extractor fans also work best if smoke is a significant concern for the consumer. 

However, one important thing to remember is that the larger the extractor fan, the noisier the fan will be. Make sure you consider noise levels before purchasing and installing a large extractor fan.

Bathroom Extractor Fans

Out of all the rooms in your home, the bathroom tends to produce moisture that can damage the exterior if not dealt with. 

An extractor fan removes all the condensation and moisture in the bathroom, which can potentially lead to long-term damage. You must install an extractor fan if your bathroom has no outside window. 

Most domestic extractor fans can pull about 20 litres of air per second for a medium-sized bathroom. However, you can always opt for more powerful options to ensure the area is adequately ventilated. 

Most bathroom extractor fans come with an over-run timer that keeps the fan running for a set period after you’ve switched it off. This allows more control of the bathroom’s ventilation and energy use. 

What Are The Three Types of Extractor Fans?

Not all extractor fans are built the same, so you must look at all the different things to find the right one for your bathroom. Here are the three common types of extractor fans. 

Axial Extractor Fans

Axial extractor fans work by moving the air upwards, creating an air pressure difference that forces air to flow through the fan. Due to its smaller size and silent noise feature, axial fans are commonly used in toilets, bathrooms, and other smaller rooms. 

You can install this variety into walls and have direct access to the outside. These types of extractor fans carry air over shorter distances, so they must be positioned near or close to the outside. 

Centrifugal Extract Fans

Centrifugal extractor fans are manufactured for rooms that don’t have exterior walls. Due to its design, centrifugal extractor fans can move high volumes of air at a longer distance. 

This extractor fan works by spinning air outwards with the help of centrifugal force. The air gets rid of moisture due to the fan wheel being mounted onto a rod. 

The centrifugal force is created when the wheel propels the movement of fan blades. These fans have a much higher extraction rate than axial fans; however, centrifugal fans are far noisier. 

Since they have a high extraction rate, centrifugal fans are typically used in large bathrooms, kitchens, and storage or utility rooms. 

Inline Extractor Fans

Inline extractor fans are often placed in ceilings above the room and run silently. These fans are perfect for bathrooms that require long ducting. You can also install inline fans in rooms without an external wall or areas where noise pollution is an issue. 

Inline fans remove humidity and moisture from the bathroom and other areas in a streamlined process. The inline extractor fans suck in air from such humid areas and blow it out through a vent. 

This vent in the inline extractor fans is placed either behind the inline extractor fans or above the ceiling. Inline fans work similarly to a kitchen exhaust hood. The difference is that the extractor fan removes moisture instead of smoke. 

Which Type Works Best For A Bathroom?

With so many options, you might wonder which is perfect for the bathroom. The best choice for most bathrooms is inline extractor fans. 

Inline extractor fans are most commonly used in this area because it's the perfect environment to put your inline fans to good use. Regardless of the regional climate, inline bathroom extractor fans are necessary for all bathrooms. 

Moisture leads to severe household problems, such as mould, mildew, and dry rot. These problems cost several pounds in repairs and, in some cases, lead to the collapse of your roof. 

Inline bathroom extractor fans are crucial to regulating your bathroom’s air. These devices remove moisture in the bathrooms to free your area of mildew and mould. 

Hot water taps and showers release vapour into the air, leading to significant damage. Inline extractor fans remove the steam from the air, leaving you with clean, dry air. 

Why Are Extractor Fans Important?

One of the main functions of extractor fans is removing steam and humidity. Before installing extractor fans, it is crucial to understand how these two particles affect your living space. 

The UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings (UKCMB) states that multiple properties suffer from significant dampness problems. The leading causes of dampness include rising and penetrating dampness. These come from an outside source and take up space in your home through steam and humidity. 

It condenses as soon as steam and humidity come into contact with cold bathroom surfaces. When condensation happens over a long period, mould grows on your bathroom surfaces. 

Mould happens because cooler air cannot hold high amounts of water vapour; therefore, it condenses back into liquid water. 

Think of the water left behind in your bathroom after a shower. This water seeps into your walls, windows, or even nearby rooms creating mould problems. This mould damages walls and floors and leaves a musty smell behind. Once mould appears, it's difficult to get rid of, damaging your home and health. 

Long-term exposure to mould microbes and mould spores is extremely dangerous to human health. This causes irritation, and you might experience symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, and skin rashes. If you experience respiratory problems, mould can amplify your symptoms leading to serious health complications. 

Extractor Fans Are The Best Solution 

As mentioned before, the best way to avoid this problem is by using extractor fans. The fans remove moisture-laden air from your shower, bath, and sink before the water vapour condenses into a liquid, creating mould. 

When hot steam is released, the extractor fan pulls out the moisture into a duct which is connected to a vent opening. Once the moisture-laden air is pulled outside, drier and fresher air circulates through the room. 

Extractor fans in the kitchen are also important as they extract pollutants and moisture from the air. In kitchens, the circulations of steam, smoke, grease, and heat make the kitchen unusable, especially during summer. Even in regions with a milder climate, investing in extractor fans is crucial. 

While most homeowners prefer installing complete house ventilation systems for a constant flow of fresh and filtered air, you can also use extractor fans for a similar purpose. Instead of ventilating the entire house, an extractor fan provides individual rooms with clean and fresh air. 

How To Choose The Right Bathroom Extractor Fan?

Even in one category of extractor fan, there are several options to choose from. Here are some important factors to consider when choosing an extractor fan for your bathroom. 

Consider the Bathroom Zones

Not all areas in a bathroom get equal amounts of moisture. To find the correct location for your extractor fan, installing it according to zones is important.  The different bathroom extractor fan zones will help you determine the type of bathroom fan you should purchase.

All electrical equipment, such as light fixtures and bathroom extractor fans, have an IP rating that clearly defines their suitable zone for installation. 

An IP rating defines the resistance against solid items and liquid/moisture. The higher the ingress number, the greater the level of protection. Use this measurement when placing your extractor fans. Here are three important zones to help you make the right choice. 

Zone 1: This is the shower and the area vertically 2.25m above the bath. If you’re installing an extractor fan in the zone,  look for an appliance with a minimum IP45 rating. If you want a powerful option, get an extractor fan with an IP65 rating.

Zone 2: This is the area from 0.6m from Zone 1. This zone should have an IP rating of at least IP44.

Zone 3: No IP rating is required as there is no water exposure in these areas.

Think About How You Want Your Fan To Operate

All extractor fans come with multiple operating modes depending on your needs. Most fans can be turned on manually through a cord switch or by remote control. Some fans also use a timer to turn off after a set period. 

If you want even more control over a bathroom extractor fan, look for one with a PIR sensor. These devices operate as soon as someone enters the bathroom. 

Alternatively, some advanced extractor fans have humidity sensors that operate according to the moisture level of the bathroom air. 

Consider The Air Exchange Rate

The best way to ensure you have a powerful bathroom extractor is by measuring its’ air exchange rate. This rate is measured in either metres cubed per hour or litres per second (L/s). 

The extraction rate is crucial as it shows how much air is removed when the fan is operational. Most building regulations look for an extractor fan with a rate of 15L/s for domestic bathrooms. Larger or frequently used bathrooms may require a higher rate. 

What Are The Most Powerful Bathroom Extractor Fans?

With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow down the right extractor fan for you. If you’re looking for high-quality extractor fans, visit Meteor Electrical. 

Meteor carries a wide range of extractor products that keep your home humidity-free without taking up too much electricity. 

One of the best options at Meteor includes the Xpelair Simply Silent Bathroom Extractor FanThis powerful extractor device features an over-run timer for better operation and is also compatible with a sensor device. You can toggle the timer between seconds to 30 minutes. 

The Xpelair fan is highly efficient and uses Ghost Air Movement technology for silent running. This is an excellent option for almost any bathroom as it works at an exchange rate of 15L/s or 21L/s. This device allows you to enjoy powerful air circulation with excess energy charges.

 For more extractor fan options, visit Meteor Electrical today.