All you Need to Know about Extractor Fan – How to Choose an Extractor Fan

Firstly, you need to know that in UK regulations are demanding that every kitchen, bathroom and toilet requires having an extractor fan installed. In other words, it is mandatory to place an extractor fan in those rooms.

When buying an extractor fan, you need to look after certain characteristics which will prove to be of great value when it comes to the performance of the extractor fan. First up, before selecting a fan, you must measure the size of the room where it is going to be installed. The bigger the room, the bigger the extractor fan must be. However, it shouldn’t be bigger than 100mm for a toilet or a bathroom, and 150mm for a kitchen. The size represents the diameter of the pipe from behind the fan.

Now that you have an idea about how big the extractor fan should be it is time to choose the right type for the room you are going to place it in. When it comes to bathroom extractor fans, people are usually connecting them at the light system. This helps by starting the fan the same time you open the light in the bathroom, and stops it the same time you close the light. However, this is not a good solution for the daytime, when you might not use artificial light; that is why you can choose to place an individual switch for the extractor fan.

Another good option for the bathroom or any other room which presents a higher level of humidity is the humidistat. It is basically an extractor fan featured with a humidity sensor, which will start when the condensation inside the room reaches a predefined level, and stops when the level drops below the setting. The humidistat is a good alternative for rooms where you can’t install an extractor fan connected to the light system, as you are not always using the light inside that room.

Temporized fans are a great addition especially for toilets, as the odor takes a bit more time to be extracted from the room. Temporized fans will continue to work for a period of time after you send the shutdown signal and leave the room. The time on which they will continue to work can be set between 2 and 25 minutes.

Finally, you must consider the power that the extractor fan offers. When it comes to extractor fans, the more powerful it is the better it will do its job. The only disadvantage of a very powerful fan could be the noise generated by the rotation. On the other hand, even though you might have a budget to follow, make sure that you are buying an extractor fan strong enough to meet the following requirements for the United Kingdom legislation: 60 liters for kitchens, 6 liters per toilets and 15 liters per bathrooms.