Ensuite ceiling fan covered by insulation in the attic

boardtc

So I got a bit of mold last year in the ensuite, which I sorted and repainted fine. I only thought to check the ceiling fan in the attic there recently and was surprised to see it completely covered by insulation, here is it exposed:

How should this be dealt with correctly, is it meant to be ducted out?

We only have 100mm depth, I've been hoping to afford upping it to 300mm with the grant one of these years. When investigating I did find an uncovered gap also which does not help:

PixelCrafter

it should be ducted outside. It will put a lot of condensation and into your attic and also potentially distribute bad toilet odours into the roof space that may end up in other parts of the house

Victor

The fan needs to vent to the fresh air, not the attic. The duct should be insulated the entire distance, to prevent condensation.

There needs to be a vapour barrier (typically plastic sheeting or metal foil) to prevent moisture reaching the attic insultation and condensing.

If there is a water tank in the attic, the insulation needs to be above it and any pipes, to prevent the water freezing. There should be no insulation between the tank / pipes and the rest of the house.

The insulation should give complete coverage and be as thick as you can reasonably afford.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058378552/ensuite-ceiling-fan-covered-by-insulation-in-the-attic

If the outlet form the fan was only into the attic it could cause dry rot in the attic. That outlet should be routed to an outside vent.

boardtc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122781484#Comment_122781484

Ok. It's been like this for 9 years, no bad smells so far anyway.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122781488#Comment_122781488

There is a water tank near the fan exit. I am not following how I would have an insulated duct going above the sealed tank. The vapor barrier you are talking about is where the duct exits at the eves is it?

Mr321

How far is the closest external wall from you at the fan in the attic?

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122787027#Comment_122787027

I think you need to forget about how long it's been like this, you need to get it vented to an outside vent. If the air vent is vent steam from your shower (for example) it is releasing that steam/moisture into your attic.

It needs to vent outside of the premises.

boardtc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122787103#Comment_122787103

It's 2m to the closest wall.

I also need to raise the ceiling joists to move from 100m to 300mm insulation, but even with the grant I'm not sure when I can afford to do that. Ideally it would good to get both done together!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122787204#Comment_122787204

That's a fair call. 100%.

Mr321

Head straight for the wall then with ducting and outside wall vent.

boardtc

What ducting would you recommend I get? Any tips on sealing the duct around the extractor are appreciated. Will I need to create a vent at the eaves so?

phog

There's a flexible plastic pipe that is made/used for this purpose. Making the 4inch hole through the concrete block wall is the hard bit. You can get an external cover for the hole too.

Cerco

Can you install a roof tile vent?

Seems easier than drilling a concrete wall.

bfclancy2

vent through the soffit is easier again to install

boardtc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122816185#Comment_122816185

Brillant, everyday is a school day:

con747

Use insulated ducting to be safe. Be careful which type of external cover you use because some make an awful racket when it's windy.

kaizer13

Definitely the fan should be ducted to the outside as many others have said.

Whichever of the three main options is chosen, soffit, wall or roof, be aware that the duct will have condensation forming within it as the moisture laden air passes within the duct through a potentially cold loft space. This is why insulated ducting is preferable. If the condensation issue is not addressed from the outset, be prepared for water contamination of the fan, the area of the ceiling around the fan and whatever is directly beneath the fan in the ensuite.

These are all problems that I have discovered in many homes and are the result of installation naivety.