We all enjoy a hot shower or a nice hot bath to de-stress ourselves, but what happens to all the steam that is produced in our bathroom? Condensation is what happens when this steam comes into contact with cold surfaces and the opposite process of evaporation occurs. The warm moisture in the air turns into water droplets, and this can lead to dampness and mould.
That is why it is important that you take measures to stop condensation from building up in your bathroom and other parts of your home (see our post on Condensation in the Loft).
In this guide, we explain in simple terms everything you need to know on how to stop bathroom condensation in your home.
Table of Contents
What Causes Bathroom Condensation?
What Problems Can Bathroom Condensation Cause?
✅ Mould
Mould not only looks bad, but, its effects can be more serious than just the appearance of your bathroom. Mould is known to have negative effects on the surrounding air quality through the release of its spores and can have an impact on a range of health problems according to the NHS website.
✅ Damp
Damp begins as wet patches on your walls and ceilings. Common signs of damp are discolouration or stains in your paint or your wallpaper might start to peel off. Dampness also tends to create an unpleasant musty smell in your bathroom. In the long term, dampness can lead to severe issues such as wood rot, which can impact your bathroom and also other parts of your home such as lofts and roofs.
✅ Wood rot
Wood rot is most commonly caused by prolonged exposure to damp conditions and can be classed as structural damage to your home. The timber in the structure of your home is prone to rot if it is continuously damp and this can be extremely costly to repair or replace.
How to Stop Bathroom Condensation? (Expert Tips)
1️⃣ Open your windows
This one is obvious, but often overlooked. Opening your windows during or after your bath/shower can reduce condensation by allowing fresh air to circulate and remove warm, moist air. It works great for the summer, but in the UK’s colder months, you may want to consider different options as you won’t want cold air flooding your home.
2️⃣ Take more baths instead of showers
Showers give off more steam than baths because the hot water is running non-stop, whereas the bath only gives off steam while you're running it. So if it's practical, take more baths to reduce bathroom condensation.
3️⃣ Get a bathroom dehumidifier
The best bathroom dehumidifiers will extract a lot of moisture from the air and collect it as water. Use one during your shower or bath to minimise bathroom condensation.
Check out this Oh So Spotless article for some of the best bathroom dehumidifiers.
4️⃣ Keep your home warmer in general
Cold condensates warm, moist air to water droplets. Keeping your home at a stable, warm temperature can reduce the amount of cold spots and cold surfaces where condensation can happen. However, keep in mind the energy costs of maintaining a warm home.
5️⃣ Get a bathroom extractor fan and vent
This is your best bathroom condensation solution. Install a bathroom extractor fan to remove warm, moist air and exhaust it through the roof by connecting it to a roof extractor vent.
The roof tile vent replaces one of your roof tiles and has a round connection point for your extractor fan's flexi pipe.
What is the Best Bathroom Extractor Fan?
We’re not the experts here, so we’ll let the real experts do the talking.
We’ve curated information from the top blog over at Expert Reviews for the best bathroom extractor fans.
| Best value | EnviroVent Silent 100T |
| Most powerful | Manrose MF100T |
| High-end | Airflow iCON 30 |
How to Vent Your Bathroom Extractor Fan Through the Roof?
Here's what you need to vent your bathroom extractor fan through the roof:
✅ Your choice of bathroom extractor fan
✅ Flexible pipe — usually 110/110mm
✅ One of our roof tile vents to suit your existing roof tiles
✅ Professional roofer to install your roof vent
✅ Electrician to setup your bathroom extractor fan
The video below from the Fixmyroof YouTube channel shows you how to vent your bathroom extractor fan using one of our roof tile vents:
How Much Does It Cost to Vent Your Bathroom Extractor Fan?
Installing a bathroom extractor fan and vent can be between £400-£500. This covers everything you need including an extractor fan, flexible pipe, roof tile vent, a roofer and an electrician.
We have included a breakdown of our cost estimation below.
| Item | Cost (£) |
| Extractor fan | 30-105 |
| Flexible pipe (3 metres) | 5 |
| Roof tile vent | 30-55 |
| Roofer (up to 1 day) | 250 (per day) |
| Electrician | 75 |
| Total | 390-490 |