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Humidity in the bathroom

Question
Dear expert team,

we are currently looking for a rented apartment and have realized that only very few of those offered come with a window in the bathroom/toilet. Since our 12-year-old son has chronic PSA, this has been a knock-out criterion for us up to now (the possibility to air the bathroom by opening a window has been a priority). Are there any reliable air exhaust options (possibly to be added retroactively) that could solve the humidity problem in a windowless bathroom? Which qualified companies would be the right contacts?

Thank you for your advice.
Answer
Hello,

the issue with the window and the airing does not really have a lot to do with Pseudomonas: Pseudomonas is a water bug that can survive in any drop of water. However, water drops, siphons, and water are present in any bathroom, whether with or without a window. Even with a window, you will not be able to air a bathroom to a point where it is so dry that Pseudomonas does not stand a chance to survive. Mold, on the other hand, is a different issue, as it only needs humidity to grow. Therefore, opening the shower partition, drying the wall and the tile joints by airing the room, and avoiding stagnant air is very important to keep the mold from growing. Again, though, neither a window nor a fan really are a solution here; the point is to avoid stagnant humidity and hothouse conditions. If you are looking for a specialist, you will have to contact a ventilation and air conditioning engineer, who will be able to calculate how high the air change will be with a given device. But again: it is more important to open up the shower partition so that the shower will not turn into a humid chamber. Of course, a glass pane without a frame is easier to keep dry and clean than a plastic pane in an aluminum frame or even a shower curtain – unless it is made of fabric, can keep drying and is washed regularly…

As you can see, it is the details rather than the ventilation system.

Best regards,
Prof. Dr. TOF Wagner
08.04.2010