Unpleasant odors, mold, and mildew, are just a few of the conditions that can result from poor bathroom ventilation. Because of all the humidity generated in these spaces inadequate bathroom ventilation can even contribute to mold and mildew problems in other areas of your home.
One sure way to rid the bathroom of unwanted odors and excess moisture is with an exhaust fan.
Exhaust fans are rated in cfm’s, or cubic feet of air moved each minute. You’ll want a fan with a cfm rating that is at least 10 percent larger than the floor area of the bathroom you plan to use it in. When the fan is installed be sure that the exhaust duct takes the steam completely out of the house, and not just into the attic. Otherwise, you’re simply moving the humidity problem from one location to another.
To calculate how big of a fan you need to vent your bathroom, see our Bathroom Fan CFM Calculator.