Extractor fans work by using a motor to power an impeller that spins at high speed and blows air outwards, which creates a vacuum effect. This means that any particles or moisture will be pulled out of the air into the fan itself, so it can then be released outside through vents or pipes.
What is the purpose of a kitchen extractor fan?
- Prevent moisture and condensation from building up on walls and other surfaces in a room. ...
- Proper ventilation prevents the growth of mould and mildew due to excess moisture. ...
- Removes humidity in a room, making it more comfortable for use, particularly in warmer summer months.
How to choose the extractor fan?
How to Choose the Right Extractor Fan for you. Hole Size Consideration: The size of the hole in the wall is normally out of your hands when you are replacing an existing fan. It is important to ensure your desired fan is compatible to avoid extra installation costs and stress.
How to fix an extractor fan?
Use a vacuum to clean off all the loose dust from the fan, and then use a toothbrush dipped in liquid detergent to clean the corners. Wash the entire fan with a damp cloth and liquid detergent. Completely wipe the water off the fan with a dry cloth. Warning: It is important that water does not contact any part of the electronic devices of the fan.
Is my extractor fan working correctly?
The accumulation of dust in the fan blades is one of the most common problems that may cause the bathroom extractor fan to stop working. Typically, this may be the case if you have lived in a house a while before cleaning your bathroom extractor fan.
Should an extractor fan be on all the time?
Should You Leave an Extractor Fan On? There really is no need for you to leave the fan on all day because the extractor fan will have done its work within its allotted time frame.
Where does the air in an extractor fan go?
Purpose of the Extractor Fan The fan sucks in air from the bathroom and blows it out of through a vent that is runs behinds above the ceiling. It works in the same way that a kitchen exhaust hood does except moisture is being moved instead of smoke.
How does an exhaust fan work in a bathroom?
The ceiling-mounted exhaust fan removes moisture and odors from the bathroom by expelling the suctioned air from the room, via the housing, through ductwork, and out the roof or overhanging soffit. The fan works by pulling the air up through the downward vent.
Do bathroom fans need to vent outside?
Bathroom fan installation requires outside ventilation. If the fan isn't accessible through an attic, you'll need to vent through a sidewall of your house. These types of ducts and vents are typically installed when the house is built.
Do extractor fans stop mould?
Best Bathroom Extractor Fans Removing mould is one issue, but prevention is another, and prevention is definitely the best cure. One of the best ways to avoid mould growths in bathrooms is by keeping it well ventilated. Other solutions like anti-mould paint also helps. But generally, ventilation is key.
Do kitchen extractor fans need to vent outside?
Extractor fans don't have to be vented outside the kitchen constantly. Most of the ductless range hoods come with a built-in carbon filter and charcoal filter. But, they did not go well with the small cooking area and the home's exterior. Using them in a small kitchen can cause several problems, i.e., stale air.
Does a bathroom extractor fan work better with a window open?
Keep windows open during and after showering As with the extractor fan, leave your window open for at least 15 minutes after you've finished in the bath or shower to allow plenty of time for the air to circulate and moisture to escape.
How long should a bathroom extractor fan stay on?
20 minutesAccording to the Home Ventilation Institute (HVI) the exhaust fan should run for at least 20 minutes after the shower has been used. This ensures that the proper amount of ventilation has occurred.
Is it bad to leave your bathroom fan on?
Your Bathroom Fan Is a Fire Hazard From there, it's so easy to forget about the bathroom fan completely! There are consequences for leaving the fan on too long, though. Leaving the exhaust fan running for an extensive period of time can cause significant wear to the motor and may cause a fire.
Why do hotels not have bathroom fans?
The main reason hotels don't have bathroom fans is that the moisture and odors are instead removed by a central climate control system.
How do you vent a bathroom with no outside access?
Use of a ceiling vent Installing a ceiling vent is probably the most efficient way to ventilate a bathroom with no outside access. A ceiling vent is a unique machine that allows air to escape from the bathroom. In other words, it's a machine that, like an open window, allows moisture to escape from your bathroom.
What do you do if your bathroom has no exhaust fan?
If your bathroom doesn't have a fan, take advantage of the door and window(s) to let out steam. Whenever weather permits, open the window during your shower or bath and leave the window open for at least 15 minutes after you exit.
How does an extractor fan work in a bathroom?
Because these are rooms that are used every day, they need a decent extractor fan to expel moisture and unwanted smells.
Where is the extractor fan located?
They’re usually located near kitchen appliances, bathrooms, washing machines, dishwashers, or other areas where there’s excess moisture due to steam from showering or cooking food etc. How they work depends on which fan you get and how it is installed or fitted.
What are the two types of extractor fan fittings?
There are two types of extractor fan fitting – ducted and non-ducted.
What is a ducted fan?
A ducted extractor fan as the name suggests uses ducting as a means to expel the air. Ducting is simply a material used as a kind of pipe or pathway that the air travels through to outside.
Do extractor fans work?
Yes, as well as moisture, extractor fans are used to remove unwanted smells too. As well as bathrooms and toilets, extractor fans work great in kitchens too which is another room that requires the removal of all the different smells generated from cooking.
Do extractor fans need to vent outside?
Yes, it is always a good idea to have your bathroom extractor fan vent outside. Remember the purpose of an extractor is to remove moisture and humidity from the air. If you simply deposit it in another room or the attic, for example, you are just potentially moving the problem to another area. This could result in mould and damp building up.
How do kitchen extractor fans work?
There are two main types of extractor fans that can be installed within your kitchen - Cooker hoods and standard extractor fans. We've broken down both options below.
Cooker hoods
There are several types of cooker hoods available in a range of styles at various price points:
How do cooker hoods work?
There are two different ways cooker hoods extract air depending on whether you opt for an extractor hood or recirculation hood:
Standard kitchen extractor fans
Similar to extractor fans you find within the bathroom, standard extractor fans are simple to install and often a cheaper alternative to cooker hoods - although they may not clear the air as quickly.
How does a downdraft fan work?
Or the downdraft fan will recirculate the air back into the kitchen once it has filtered and cleaned it.
Why are extraction units so efficient?
Of course, this means that these extraction units are incredibly efficient because they don’t need to clean all of the air in your kitchen.
What Is a Downdraft Extraction Unit?
A downdraft extraction unit fits behind your cooker and rises up out of the countertop at the press of a button. It is a very sleek and stylish way of having built-in extraction in your kitchen while keeping it hidden when not in use.
What is downdraft fan?
These are a relatively new way of extracting the odours and steam from your kitchen.
Can a downdraft extraction unit block your view?
If you’d like a very modern kitchen with a very clean look, a downdraft extraction unit is perfect. You see, an extraction hood can often block your view, particularly if your hob is on an island. Although most extraction hoods do a great job at getting odours and steam from the kitchen, they can be an eyesore.
Do hobs have downdraft extractors?
There are also hobs with integrated downdraft extractors available . These work on the same principle as downdraft units that are separate from the hob.
Is a downdraft extractor efficient?
This means that a downdraft extractor is very efficient, but it is also extremely stylish. As we said, some hobs have downdraft extraction built-in, but there are plenty of downdraft units on the market that aren’t built in too. If you do decide that a downdraft extractor fan is the way you want to go for your extraction, ...
How do extractor fans work?
How do these extractor fans work? Fans used for ventilation and airing out rooms work by one of two kinds of methods. The most traditional is the axial or propeller fan, comparable to those used on stands for ventilation in a room or used in computers for cooling the system and power supplies.
How does a centrifugal fan work?
Another type is a centrifugal fan unit, and these work in the same way as a centrifugal water pump. They have a plate with radial vanes and the air is forced out by the centrifugal with loads of force.
What material is used for ducting?
The customary materials for ducting are either a steel spiral sheet metal rigid pipe or a flexible PVC or aluminium foil tube braced by spiral steel wire. The final parts are the easiest to install and is way more affordable, however it is quite restricted to airflow.
Can an extractor fan cool a server room?
The answer is obvious, massive airflow and when calculated correctly, an extractor and input fan system can cool a server room for much less cash per year than using air-conditioning system and move some needed warm air to other rooms needing heating or even better, a heat recovery unit.
What is the difference between extraction hoods and recirculation hoods?
When the air is extracted from your kitchen, it needs somewhere to go. It can either be sent outside (extraction hood) or it can be pumped through a filter and recirculated back into the kitchen (recirculation hood). Below is a more in-depth explanation of the two:
How do recirculation hoods work?
Most modern recirculation hoods feature a basic grease filter as well as a charcoal filter, these work together to remove grease, food smells and smoke from the air. These cooker hoods are often much cheaper than the extraction hoods because you don’t need to consider ducting. However, they are less effective at dealing with smells, grease and smoke because they have to process the air and inevitably they don’t do that 100% perfectly. You also need to consider that the filters do have a limited lifespan and you will need to occasionally replace them with new ones. These cooker hoods may be the best solution for anyone redoing their kitchen on a budget or are reluctant to design their kitchen around where the ducting can go.
Why do you need ducting for a cooker hood?
It is important to remember that because they use ducting to get rid of the air you need to plan that in right from the start, especially if you want the cooker hood above an island or against a non-external wall. The ducting can often be ugly and ruin the look of your kitchen if not planned in from the start.
What is an integrated hood?
Integrated hoods. This is a hidden cooker hood for those of you that do not wish to make it into a feature of the kitchen. They are integrated into your cabinets and look just like another wall unit from first glance. They are switched on by pulling a handle or pressing a switch.
Do cooker hood filters have a limited lifespan?
You also need to consider that the filters do have a limited lifespan and you will need to occasionally replace them with new ones. These cooker hoods may be the best solution for anyone redoing their kitchen on a budget or are reluctant to design their kitchen around where the ducting can go.
Can you use a downdraft hood on a gas hob?
They work by drawing steam horizontally before pulling it down through the filters situated below the worksurface. They are not recommended with gas hobs and unfortunately can block your view when in use.
Does a cooker hood have a high extraction rate?
The Extraction Rate. Often overlooked, but can make a big difference to how well the cooker hood works in your kitchen. If your cooker hood does not have a high enough extraction rate for your kitchen size then you will find that it takes a long time to clear any bad smells, or even that they never really clear.
