Extractor fans are an essential tool in keeping Bradford homes free from damp, mould and condensation. They are an easy to use, inexpensive upgrade to a property.
Unfortunately, extractor fan installations can be tricky in older Bradford homes. That’s where an experienced extractor fan specialist such as myself at Quality Electrician Bradford comes in.
Back to top1) Common extractor fan challenges
There are many potential challenges and problems that can arise when installing an extractor fan at your Bradford home. Some are obvious from the outset, but others may only become apparent once work has started, or when the planned project is looked at by an experienced installer. That’s why it’s always in your best interest to choose an extractor fan specialist to install your new extractor fan. These are some of the issues that may arise:
- Hidden Obstructions – Before anyone starts drilling, it’s important to check whether ant y electrical cables, water pipes etc are in the vicinity.
- Tricky locations – Some locations are tricky to carry out an installation safely. This can be due to high ceilings, tight spaces or where walls are especially thick. These installations will need the correct tools to complete safely.
- Siting issues – If your extractor fan is installed in the wrong place, for example too far away from the source of the humidity, it won’t be effective.
- Complex ducting requirements – Ducting runs should be kept as short as possible as lengthy runs will be less effective and can also cause condensation to pool within them, leading to further issues.
- No external wall – If no external wall is available to vent your extractor fan, you will need a more complex system installed.
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2) No external wall extractor fan options
The most common tricky situation with an extractor fan installation in Bradford is when there is no option to vent through an external wall. Many homeowners believe that this means they cannot have an extractor fan fitted but, for an experienced installer, although this is tricky, it’s not impossible.
If external venting is not an option, then we can consider a ceiling mounted extractor fan. These require careful planning and an experienced hand to install them. They will involve complex ducting and often require condensate traps and drainage. This type of installation is best carried out by an extractor fan specialist as the wrong choice of fan or duct type can leave you with additional issues to resolve.
Back to top3) Solving tricky ventilation problems
The photo above shows an extractor fan installation in Bradford I was called out to look at and provide a solution for. Sometimes it’s not as simple as installing an extract fan through an external wall, this one required ducting through the roof space. The original installation had been bodged by two electricians, with the wrong extractor fans and long, inefficient ducting runs installed - leaving the customer with poor ventilation and unpleasant smells.
I installed an MEV unit with humidistat. This is a whole house ventilation system, designed to work over long ducting runs – just what was needed here. All ducting was correctly insulated and routed, and the system correctly balanced solving the customer’s issue.
Back to top4) Professional extractor fan fitting in Bradford
As you can see, it really does pay to choose an extractor fan installer with experience. As your local, fully qualified specialist in extractor fan installation in Bradford I’m on hand to help with all your extractor fan issues, from new installations to providing solutions to existing tricky ventilation issues. If you want to chat about an extractor fan installation in Bradford, get in touch with me today.
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