Bathroom and Kitchen Extraction That Actually Works

Rung 1: The tissue test (free)

Hold a single sheet of toilet paper against the fan grille with the fan on. If it holds, the fan is pulling air. If it drops, the fan is too weak, blocked or failing.

Check where the air goes. A hood that only recirculates over a charcoal filter does not remove moisture, because it returns the steam to the kitchen.

Rung 2: Use it properly

• Run the bathroom fan during the shower and for a while afterwards.
• Close the bathroom door so steam does not wander to bedrooms.
• Run the cooker hood on a higher setting while cooking and for a few minutes after.
• Crack a window or ensure an air inlet, so the fan has air to draw in.
• Run cold water in the bath before adding hot, a tip given by the Property Care Association, to reduce steam.

Rung 3: Clean and fix

Dust on blades and grilles cuts airflow. Switch off at the isolator, clean the cover and, if you can reach it, the impeller. Check the duct is not crushed, is sloped slightly down to the outside so condensation runs out, and ends at an outside grille rather than in the loft or between floors.

Rung 4: Upgrade, then think about whole-home humidity

If the fan is weak or noisy, replace it with a quieter, better-rated unit sized for the room, ideally with a humidity sensor or run-on timer. Have an electrician fit it, because bathrooms have zone rules for electrics.

If extraction is good and the house is still damp, whole-home moisture may be the issue. A loft-mounted dehumidifier is one option for owner-occupied homes with a loft; it does not replace extraction, and it is not suitable for rentals unless the landlord authorises the changes.

Mistakes that undo a good extractor

• Switching the fan off the moment you leave the bathroom, before the steam has gone.
• Fitting a fan that is too small for the room, or one that is quiet only because it moves almost nothing.
• Running a long, kinked duct with many bends, which cuts airflow.
• Blocking the gap under the door so the fan has no replacement air to draw in.
• Relying on a recirculating hood to deal with the steam from boiling pans.

In Chatham and the Medway Towns

Many Medway Towns terraces were built long before extractor fans, and small internal bathrooms and kitchens added later may have no outside wall for a fan. Brompton's appraisal describes narrow terraces and heavily altered rear elevations, so run ducting thoughtfully; see Brompton. In 1930s and post-war houses in Rainham and Gillingham, kitchens often have a hood that recirculates; check yours.

Questions we are asked

Related guides

• Condensation on Windows: What It Is Telling You
• Loft Condensation and Ventilation: A Homeowner's Guide
• Drying washing indoors without mould

Local help

• Damp, mould and condensation help in Brompton
• Damp, mould and condensation help in Rainham
• Damp, mould and condensation help in Gillingham

Sources: Property Care Association: Condensation in homes; GOV.UK: Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home; Medway Council: Brompton Lines Conservation Area Appraisal.