Your bathroom is one of the most dampest places in your home.
The dripping shower, running water in the sink, flushing the toilet, and sometimes leaking faucets contribute to high humidity in the bathroom.
A lot of moisture can lead to the growth of molds and mildew if you don’t have proper ventilation in your bathroom.
So, Should You Leave The Shower Curtain Closed Or Open After Showering?
Generally, you should keep your bathroom curtain open after showering to minimize mildew and mold growth. Excess moisture in your bathroom promotes mold growth, mildew formation, and other issues like peeling wallpaper, foul odor, and even paint chips and scratches on the wall.
Leaving the curtain open after showering helps keep the air moving and prevents the build-up of moisture in your bathroom. Apart from leaving the curtain open, you can also deal with moisture issues in your shower by running a bathroom fan. A bath fan will help you solve fogged-up mirror problems and improve ventilation in your bathroom.
How To Prevent Excess Moisture Build Up In Your Bathroom
Excess moisture in your bathroom comes with the problem of high humidity.
The problem is exacerbated if your bathroom is windowless.
The easiest way to prevent the build-up of mildew and the growth of molds is to ensure plenty of air circulation in your bathroom.
So, here are steps you can take to improve ventilation in your bathroom:
1. Install Moisture Extractor Fan
One simple way to keep your bathroom well aerated is to install a bathroom vent fan which is specifically designed to eliminate moisture build-up by extracting the moist air and venting it outside.
So, installing one will significantly help improve ventilation in your bathroom.
Moisture extraction fans come in different models.
You can choose to install a simple box fan or a more complex high styled fan that will give you more latitude to customize how you want to operate it.
A high-tech styled fan comes with sensors and adjustable timers. The sensors turn on the fan automatically when you enter your bathroom and switch themselves off once you leave.
The simple box fan can be installed on the bathroom ceiling. You can also choose to install a combination bathroom fan/light fixture or fan/light/heater fixture.
Installation of the bathroom extractor fan is dependent on where you want to vent the fan.
If your bathroom is adjacent to the external wall, you may want to install a wall-mounted moisture extractor fan. So, do your homework before committing to one to ensure that you get the best fan for your bathroom.
Once you have installed your bath vent fan, ensure that you turn it on while showering and let it run for at least 15 minutes after showering to air your bathroom fully.
2. Choose The Right Capacity Fan For Your Bathroom
Generally, most building experts advise choosing a bathroom fan that will give you eight complete air exchanges per hour.
Alternatively, you can choose a bathroom fan with a CFM (cubic feet per minute) capacity equal to your bathroom’s square footage.
For instance, if your bathroom is 100 sq feet, you will need a bathroom fan with a capacity of 100 CFM.
But if you have a jetted tub, you should add 100CFM to your earlier calculation to compensate for the extra moisture.
3. Make The Right Installation Choice
You must install your bathroom fan correctly. If you are replacing an old unit, it is easier to DIY since you will be using existing electrical connections and vents.
But if you are not comfortable handling electric connections, call in a professional to install them for you.
Installing a new fan in a bathroom that doesn’t have one is a bit technical, and you will need a professional technician to handle the job.
This project will involve the installation of vents and vast electric wiring.
4. Install The Fan In The Right Spot
Once you have decided on how you want the fan installed and chosen the suitable vent fan capacity, ensure that you install it in the right place.
The perfect installation spot is near the shower or the tub. Installing it very close to the air conditioning vent will interfere with the fan’s intake of moist air.
Additionally, the exhaust fan should vent outside and not into the attic to ensure proper aeration in your bathroom.
5. Allow The Bathroom Fan To Run Long Enough After You Shower
Do not turn off the vent immediately after you are done showering.
A lot of shower steam is still hovering in your bathroom, and you should allow the fan to run for at least 15 minutes after you are done showering to vent all the humid air inside the bathroom space.
In fact, you should switch on the fan and allow it to run throughout your shower until after you are done.
You should consider installing a fan with an automatic humidity sensor if your mornings are hectic and you hardly have time to wait for your shower to dry.
6. Dry Up Puddles On The Bathroom Floor
An uneven bathroom floor often collects small pools of water after a shower.
A damp bathroom floor is slippery, but it also takes a lot of time to dry out. Wipe up any puddles on the bathroom floor using a bath mat.
7. Leave Your Shower Curtain Open After Showering
After you have stepped out of your shower, push part of the curtain open and keep the fan running for at least 15 minutes. You should not push the curtain to one end.
Close it most of the way and leave some space so that the running fan can circulate the air throughout the space. If you push the curtain to one end, it will create folds that trap moist air.
The trapped moisture within the curtain folds will encourage mold growth and mildew formation.
8. Open Your Bathroom Windows During And After Showering.
Bathroom windows are another option to let out shower steam and improve your shower ventilation.
So, when the weather is favorable, you should keep your bathroom windows open during the shower and leave them open for at least 15 minutes after showering.
With the windows on and the fan running, much air circulates, keeping your bathroom dry.
Benefits Of Keeping Your Bathroom Well Ventilated
A ventilation fan does more than just keep your bathroom mirror clear.
During cold months when the temperatures drop too low, a lot of moisture collects in your bathroom, causing mold and mildew problems.
To prevent mildew and mold formation in your bathroom, you need to keep it in good condition.
Here are fantastic benefits to keeping your bathroom well ventilated:
- It helps prevent moisture damage on bathroom surfaces. After showering, moisture accumulates and condenses on bathroom surfaces. Non-water-resistant surfaces suffer from moisture damage such as paint peel and mold growth. The wooden surfaces are also damaged by excess moisture.
- Good bathroom ventilation helps to lengthen the lifespan of your bathroom. Minimized moisture damage to your bathroom walls means you won’t have to redecorate them frequently. There is less damage to the bathroom walls.
- Bathroom ventilation prevents dampness and mold growth in your shower. Mold and mildew are unsightly and also a health risk. They are risk factors for respiratory conditions like asthma and skin conditions like eczema.
- Installing a bath fan/light combo comes with the benefit of replacing existing ceiling lighting without having to drill extra holes in the ceiling.
- An impressive fan/light/heater combo can do more than just eliminate moisture in your bathroom. They are equipped with built-in heaters that will help warm up your shower.
Wrapping Up
Leaving the shower curtain open after showering would help lower humidity in your shower room.
Excess moisture in your bathroom promotes the growth of molds and the formation of mildew which is a hazard to your health and can cause damage to your bathroom walls.
Therefore, after you exit your bathroom, you should leave the shower curtains partially closed to help circulate the moist air in the bathroom space.
References
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/bathroom-ventilation/
https://www.mirashowers.co.uk/blog/how-to/how-to-keep-your-bathroom-ventilated
