Your Bathroom Fan - Friend or Foe?

3/8/2018 (Permalink)

Attic mold found due to an improperly vented bathroom fan.

A properly installed vent fan is an essential weapon against bathroom mold.

We all know mold likes moisture. That’s why bathrooms are so vulnerable to mold. Water that gets onto the bathroom floor is an obvious concern. Of even greater concern is moisture in the air –moisture that can permeate wall and ceiling materials because of poor bathroom ventilation.

When the bathroom fills with a fog of moist air while taking a hot shower, thousands of moisture droplets can condense on cool wall, ceiling and window surfaces in the bathroom and also in adjacent rooms. Some of this moist air can even penetrate into unseen building cavities through cracks and gaps around electrical outlets and molding. Because damp organic material (wood, paper-faced wallboard, paint resins, paper-faced fiberglass insulation) makes ideal mold food, we have the makings of a mold invasion.

Vent fan to the rescue–or not?

The bathroom vent fan is a major weapon against bathroom mold. The fan’s job is to move moist air outside the house before it can condense and permeate into mold-prone materials. 

However, some builders mistakenly allow the fan to blow moist air into the attic, a practice that simply moves the mold problem to another part of the house. During cold weather, warm, moist air blown into a cooler attic will deposit its moisture on attic rafters and roof sheathing. Telltale black mold stains typically result from this ventilation error. Eventually, this mold can develop into wood rot.

When you find mold

Mold spreads quickly, so a minor mold infestation can quickly escalate into a major problem. SERVPRO of Haverhill/Newburyport is dedicated to responding immediately when you contact us. A fast response lessens the damage, limits further damage, and reduces cost.

We specialize in water and mold damage restoration, the cornerstone of our business. We have the training and expertise to safely handle any mold situation.

• Applied Microbial Remediation Specialist
• Water Damage Restoration Technician
• Applied Structural Drying Technician

Our advanced equipment helps to detect and stop the source of water feeding the mold. We then isolate the affected area using a negative air pressure chamber.

Call Us! We Can help! 978-374-8555