What is the best type of extractor fan?

I fit Kair heat recovery ventilators in bathrooms they are excellent they extract moisture laden air using the heat from this air in the heat exchanger then this is used to heat air that is fed back in the room they work on a humidistat so work when you need them most even if you are not at home . they clear even the most steamed up rooms in a matter of minutes without the heat loss of extractors completly clearing any condensation they also have an effect on other rooms as they are clearing the moisture from the bathroom moisture then dose not migrate to the colder parts of the house Cost around £350 or £550 supply and fit Apparantly they are going to be fitted into new builds by law Steve

Generalising, the least-effective fans are usually light-switch controlled. The next best are humidistat-controlled and the best are Humidity-tracking (working on continuous, incremental, automatic extraction). Heat Recovery single room fans should pay for themselves (or at least the extra cost) far quicker than almost any other form of green energy system. However, be aware that recovering the heat dramatically reduces the moisture extraction capability of the unit because airflow is necessarily reduced. Be sure to check the air-flow capability as well as the heat efficiency. The best units have a proper heat recovery cell buried in the wall core hole and work continuously, tracking the humidity all the time. If you have particular mould/condensation problems then, much as I love putting on my green hat, get the advice of a ventilation specialist or keep to more traditional extractors.

Yo are going to have to make a hole through the wall even if you use a ceiling mounted fan, if your joists run from the outside wall you should be able to pick a 240 volt feed from the ceiling light and " fish" the cable to the wall so you will not have to lift any floorboards,use a fan with an overun timer and fit a 3 pole isolater switch, you caneither bury the cable in the wall or surface mount in trunking, which ever method you use the circuit must be protected by a 30 miliamp rcd at the consumer unit/fuse box.hope this helps,Terry.

The most effective are the cieling mounted open vent type with the fan unit fitted anywhere along the ducting. You can pick these up in B & Q or any electrical wholesalers. I would recommend one of these if the room suffers from damp/mold/mildew. If everything else is ok, any with a timer control on will do the job. Fit a flapped louvre outlet cover to prevent cold draft blowing back in. Regards Jez

Hi there, We generally fit Vent Axia and have had no problems with them over the years. Hope this is of assistance to you. Gavin