As you might imagine with a name like Extractor Fan World we know a thing or two about fans. Our product range covers every type of domestic extract fan. We’ve tested hundreds of fans of varying quality over the years and we’re confident that you’ll find the right fan for your home at Extractor Fan World. This article will cover some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to bathroom ventilation.
Let’s start with “Do I need a bathroom fan?” In short, yes, and here are three simple reasons why.
- Prevent mould & condensation
- Improve indoor air quality
- Eliminate odour
Now that we've established a requirement for a fan, the next question is often “What type of fan is best for my bathroom?”
This really depends on where you’re planning on installing your fan. Are you installing your fan in the wall or ceiling?
The first category we’ll look at is the most common type of bathroom fan, the wall mounted axial fan. This is a category that has literally hundreds of fans to choose from. Axial fans are generally used for short duct/pipe runs such as straight through the wall however there is one exception that we’ll cover in our review.
Our experts have narrowed down our extensive offering to a handful of fans and suppliers to make it as easy as possible to buy the right fan for your bathroom.
Wall Mounted Extractor Fans
First up, the Silent Tornado which as the name suggests is a quiet and powerful fan. Its sleek looks, near silent running, high performance, IPX5 ingress protection rating (meaning this fan can be installed in all zones in the bathroom), and the ability to duct up to 5 metres make this the best fan in its class.
Next up we’ll look at the Vent-Axia Silent range. This is a great looking fan with a discreet white tile front. Vent-Axia markets their Silent fan as the quietest fan available. Which is true; however, it achieves this by reducing the extraction rate when compared to the competition. The Silent Tornado for example extracts 22m3/hr more that the Vent-Axia. The VASF fan would ideally suit a small bathroom or WC with low traffic.
Lastly, Envirovent, they have two fans in this category, they’re both great but the Silent Design is where they stand out. This is a more designer, stylish looking bathroom fan. They come as standard in white or silver, however, they have a huge selection of coloured replacement covers which include black, marble and even champagne Swarovski crystal to name a few. Both ranges are IPX5 and can be installed in any bathroom zone.
Inline Extractor Fans
Next up we’ll look at the inline fan category. These are by far the most effective type of intermittent extractor fan. Inline fans are larger units that are most commonly installed in loft spaces.
On average they are 3 times more powerful than axial fans and often just as quiet as they are installed away from the bathroom.
The Turbo Tube from Tornado ranks highly on our list of the best inline fans. It is one of the most powerful fans with an extraction level of 300 m/3hr while whispering away 24db(A) on its highest setting. The Turbo Tube’s build quality is second to none and backed by a 5 year warranty.
The Envirovent Ultra Quiet SILMV range is as the name suggests really quiet. It features an acoustically lined chamber which helps dissipate sound without affecting the fans performance. Available in 4 duct sizes and in intermittent and continuous running models the SILMV range covers anything from domestic bathrooms through to commercial applications.
The Manrose mix flow MF100 range is a cost effective high performance fan. It’s pretty quiet, powerful and all in all a great fan at a great price.
Centrifugal Extractor Fans
The next category we’ll look at is the centrifugal fan. These are a type of wall mounted extract fan that are designed to extract air over longer duct runs than axial fans. They are ideal for flats and apartments that share communal ducting or where it isn’t possible to extract straight through a wall or install an inline fan.
Centrifugal fans work by drawing air into the system at right angles to the intake of the fan, spin the air and push it outwards through the ducting by deflection and centrifugal force.
Vent-Axia have always been great in this category, they have four centrifugal fans in their range. The Solo, Solo Pro, Quadra, and Centrif Duo. We’ll review these in a future article. The Solo and Solo Pro are most commonly used in bathrooms whereas the Centrif Duo and the Quadra are used in kitchens
Envirovent keeps it much simpler with two units with their Filterless range, mains voltage and low voltage model.
The Cylone uses an in-line centrifugal impeller with a unique helical power expansion chamber that enables the unit to achieve power with efficiency and quietness that most others can’t. Both models feature an intelligent humidity tracking sensor and overrun timer. This is a great fan suitable for a multitude of applications.
Lastly the Domus (formerly Silavent) Curzon. This is a nice compact unit which won’t break the bank. At a conservative 80m3/hr the Curzon is more than capable of dealing with installations with longer duct runs thanks to its centrifugal impellor design.
As you’ll have gathered bathroom fans are available in a variety of types. We’ve covered some of the most common types in this article but this is by no means an exhaustive list. Another popular option is dMEV or continuous running extractor fans. For more information on dMEV fans click here.