Fitting extractor fan in downstairs shower room

[Jonny_]

I'm converting my downstairs cloakroom into a small toilet and shower room, and have come across the issue of fitting an extractor fan.

The shower cubicle is not against an external wall, so one possibility is to just install an extractor to the wall opposite the cubicle, but I don't think this will be as efficient as extracting directly above the cubicle.

The other possibility is installing an inline fan between the joists in the ceiling space, and ducting from above the shower, through the inline fan unit and out through the wall. But I'm not 100% convinced that this is legal - anyone got any idea?

(Refer to my highly detailed and artistic sketch below for a better idea of the layout of the room)



Mucho gracias,
Jonny

[hairyben]

Doesn't look like a big room, a wall mount fan should be fine, keep it as high to the ceiling as possible.

If you really want ducted & over the shower, the fan can go in the floorspace but should still be accessible ie via a hatch or panel, and use a centrifugal fan, axial fans are hopeless with a couple of meters of flexiduct (can 'get away' with one on a couple of meters of rigid duct though).

[jaybkay]

Make sure you fit a lid to the shower, this will stop most of the steam forming in the first place. (If it's the steam you're concerned about).

[henrycrun]

The inline fan will also be a lot quieter.
Despite claims of 'low noise' as soon as a fan is mounted to a stud wall or ceiling, the mounting surface helps to transmit the vibs

[HiRich]

One problem with an inline downstairs is that you will need to arrange access - it will fail one day, and you don't want to be moving that built-in wardrobe above it.

For the wall-mounted, it sounds like you're worried about scavenging. If you mount it as far away from the door as practical it will do a decent job, even if your cubicle goes up to the ceiling. So if your door is along the bottom, I'd place it along the top wall, anywhere between middle and RHS.

[Jonny_]

Thanks chaps, think wall-mount will be the way to go then, should be less ballache than trying to cram an inline setup in between the joists!