We’re looking to replace and move the extractor fan in our ensuite as it’s not installed in the best place. As the ensuite is small, the best place to have the fan would seem to be over the shower (double shower size). It’s currently about as far from the shower as it could be. We’ve got issues with peeling ceiling paint over the shower and have had some mould issues too.

I’m considering both standard or inline. Seems some standard fans can go over showers in Zone 1 and be ok. Also wondering whether to get a humidity sensing one. Ideally if it was a humidity sensing one, it would come on with the light switch but stay until humidity is cleared (this is mainly because the extractor fan doesn’t just deal with humidity 🙂 ).

The other option is inline, perhaps with a run on timer.

Anyone got any advice?

When we had our building work done three years ago we went from a standard fan with a humidity detector immediately above the shower to an inline one still with the vent above the shower but with the unit installed in the roof space. The latter is more effective as it has a higher through put and, to me just as importantly, is much quieter in the bedroom. Runs on a timer which was a bit of a phaff to set as its in the roof space and involves removing the electrical cover on the unit, but works well.

We’ve got an inline in our bathroom. It’s an Aventa AV100T. In hindsight, I probably should have got the 125T, as it is only a tiny bit louder but moves significantly more air. But, it’s fine.

We considered a humidity sensor one, but figured a fixed time to run would be OK.
It was a bit louder than I expected, although I think that was down to my expectation rather than any proper reason.
Last year I ended up re-mounting it on some conical rubber feet, with some small 3-D printed cups to keep it in place. That really knocked out a lot of the noise that was vibration being transmitted through the joists.

If you’ve got the space, and access to install it relatively easily, I’d go with the inline fan – the standard ones never seem to work very well unless they are venting straight out of a wall with no ducting to cope with.

The price online for the Aventa fan seems to vary massively from about £40 which I think it what I paid, up to £150!

I have fitted two humidity sensor ones. One is a standard one supposedly with a high flow rate. Its poor. the second is a big inline fan and its great. personally i would always go with a humidity sensor now as I loathe the noise of fans and its nice that it does not go on when you get up for a pee in the night

https://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-1361-remote-bathroom-fan-humidity-control-with-timer/44376

https://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-mf100t-25w-in-line-mixed-flow-fan/719gy

its both virtually silent ( the fan unit is actually in a cupboard next to the bathroom) and works really well

I recently got a new extractor fan for the bathroom in the new (to me, but actually ancient) house.

It’s a Vent Axia Lo-Carbon Revive SELV 7 Kitchen Bathroom Extractor Fan.

SELV means it has a separate step down transformer you mount away from the wet areas so is only at 24v at the fan so can go in Zone 1 safely.

Also has a configurable humidity sensor, though this ones runs constantly at a trickle then goes to boost when it senses humidity or you pull a switch. There’s various other things you can do to, like set it so it only boosts if the switch is on for a certain time (so as to avoid the night pee-ing thing).

https://www.vent-axia.com/range/lo-carbon-reviveselv

I haven’t fitted it yet though…

Was £75 brand new off eBay – Vent Axia have them at £700+ or something mental on their site!

Even still, a bit pricey, but we have bad damp problems so this is one part of a bigger solution…

When I had my bathroom redone I went from a wall-mount weedy extractor (that didn’t do much) to an inline one in the loft and the opening is in the bathroom ceiling directly above the shower. Works well but as per another poster I wish I’d got something a bit more powerful (I had narrowed it down to a short-list of options and wanted to run the past the electrician to confirm they were all suitable before I picked one – only due to some miscommunication the electrician showed up himself with a couple of models (neither of which I’d heard of) so I just picked the more powerful one.

It clears the steam just about well enough but if I didn’t have a heated bathroom cabinet mirror it would be annoying as it takes 5-10 minutes to clear the unheated bits of the mirror after I’ve turned the shower off).

I wouldn’t bother with a humidity sensing model if you get a decent inline one as they shift it quickly enough that by the time you’re done dressing etc. you can just turn it off. A humidity sensor just sounds like something to go wrong and cause problems down the line.

How easy are these to fit? Presumably need a vent externally through a wall or eaves, and an electrical connection (via light circuit)?

I thought the STW answer was the Manrose inline one?

We have one in each bathroom, both wired to run on after the lights are switched off. They work really well, although I find the one in the smaller en suite clears better (perhaps it’s just because it’s a smaller space).

Both vents are directly above the shower head and both units are sited to have the shortest possible ducting lengths.

How easy are these to fit? Presumably need a vent externally through a wall or eaves, and an electrical connection (via light circuit)?

Technically, to meet regs, they should have an isolation switch too.

yes – they need to vent to the outside and you need a power supply – lighting circuit will do but IIRC I had some issues with mine and put it on a separate fused spur.

Cata do a great range of extractors for zone 2 and IP44 rated. Temperature and humidity display as well that works as a night light. Very quiet as well.

Just wanted to comment so this thread about extractor fans gets more comments than a rampage Mtb thread

Technically, to meet regs, they should have an isolation switch too.

another advantage of an inline fan, the isolater switch can just go in the loft near the fan

I always fit in-line over wall mounted where ever possible, they are just more effective. Not a fan(!) of humidity sensor ones either, find they have a tendency to run in the middle of the night in summer which can be annoying.
Ideally you’d fit a fan isolator for maintenance and technically you should also fuse it down to 3amps as per most manufacturers instructions

I have not any any issue with my humidity sensors and IMO they are a million times better than ones that go on with the light. I would only have humidity sensors now

Yeah not sure I’d want one linked to the light – mine just has a separate switch

Technically, to meet regs, they should have an isolation switch too.

No they don’t.
I’m presuming you mean a ‘fan isolator’.
Nothing in the Wiring Regs to say you need one, you do need isolation, but the circuit breaker does that.
It makes changing a fan slightly easier if there is a local isolation switch, but, how often does that happen?

(this is mainly because the extractor fan doesn’t just deal with humidity 🙂 ).

You can get odour sensing fans.

There’s quite a few decent inline ones on Amazon, usually as part of a “home grow kit”.

Must be a lot of people growing their own vegetables at home indoors out of sight for some reason, which presumably need significant ventilation, light and carbon filters on the outlet??

There’s quite a few decent inline ones on Amazon, usually as part of a “home grow kit”.

Sounds like a good way to get yourself added to a list :p

Nothing to add in terms of which fan, we did have 2 inline fans that were mounted in the loft and 1 in the downstairs toilet, inline can be very noisy if a more powerful model in terms of duct noise specifically. You will want to insulate the duct work too along with trying to get a fall on the ducting to make sure condensation doesn’t pool in the duct work and go mouldy. Although harder to fit, solid ducting is better to not catch water. Condensation will likely still form in the ducting even with the fan off as air from the house will still be pulled/pushed out through the ducting unless you have some sort of flap in there. All sounds complicated but not really, this is just from experience of removing/replacing old fans in the current house.

Hi former supporters of farm machinery,

I’ve decided to get an electrician to do the work, along with some other bits. I had a look in the attic at the weekend. It’s clear that something happened when the house was built (2015) and the extractor fan was not put in the place originally intended. The fan vents through a roof tile vent and there is also an intake vent through another tile. These are essentially above the shower, but the fan and intake have been installed at the other end of the bathroom. This means there is a long run of insulated flexible vent. (note the master bedroom and ensuite are in the roof space, with another small attic above)

I’m going to get an inline fan (model TBD, but likely a 100mm Manrose) and thought rigid ducting would be best. Then I researched this. As the vent is in a roof tile, looks like I’d need a condensation trap for the vertical part up to the roof (after the fan). Problem is there is nowhere to send the run off to. The soffits are inaccessible from the attic space. The waste pipe vent is nearby, so the pipe is somewhere under the insulation. No idea how I’d couple to this though, also need to make sure the run off angle is sufficient.
Therefore I think I’m best to use insulated flexible ducting for the whole run, which might only be 2-3m. It’s currently about 5m.

Also debating whether to go up to 125mm….

We have a Vent Axia mounted directly above the shower. It’s very quiet and you can set the running speed via a dip switch. It’s humidity sensing but also comes on with the light.

Do inline fans have to be installed horizontally? e.g. as pictured

As the vent is in the roof, turning it vertically would be better

Can anyone advise what fan would be best for a medium sized downstairs bathroom with no windows but the fan can vent straight through the exterior wall of the house to outside? Thanks.

@myti

I think you have a lot of choice. Does it need to have a timer or humidity sensor?

New fan is installed. Went for the classic Manrose MF100T paired with rigid ducting. This goes from a vent above the shower, first horizontally then straight up vertically through the fan and then out through a tile vent. Essentially, the ducting is an L shape with the fan halfway up the upright, total length is under 2m, probably not far off 1.5m, judging by the offcuts I have left. Works very well, perhaps too well. The shower is a bit cold as the steam does not build up sauna-like at all anymore. I might drop the speed down.

For such a short run rigid ducting was cheaper and less wasteful as I could only find insulated flexible ducting in 10m lengths. I wanted to put in fresh ducts as there was evidence of mould in the original. The bottom horizontal half and the vertical section before the fan are under the insulation. I will need to check the condensation build up in the top section above the fan and see if a trap needs to be fitted. This section is only 50cm, so might be ok.

Downsides to the rigid ducting are that the noise is a bit airplane air-con like, but it’s much quieter overall than the original ceiling mounted fan. I could try replacing the bottom horizontal section with some of the original insulated flexible duct if I can find a good section.

We also have an intake vent which I’ll be rerouting too. The builders didn’t actually run the original ducting for the extract or intake through the solid insulation in the sloping bits of the ceiling. They just cut a circular hole though it.

@dmorts. Sorry missed your reply. I don’t think i need a humidity sensor but it would need to run for a period after leaving the bathroom and then turn off. My builder specced a bathroom fan at £140 but i want to make sure we get something really effective as the bathroom currently has no vent or windows to outside and he is putting a hole in the wall for this as part of a full bathroom refit at great expense so i don’t want him skimping on the fan.