Proper Ventilation in a Home Avoids Problems

Anecdote

Mrs. Spore was frustrated. “Why does our bathroom have a moldy-smell?”, she asked her husband.

“I don’t know what the problem is,” her husband replied. “We have an exhaust vent fan in the bathroom so we shouldn’t have moisture problems?”

The case of the mysterious mold smell was solved during a Dr. Energy Saver checkup. While inspecting the attic, Dr. Energy Saver noticed that the bathroom fan vented directly into the attic space instead of to the outside like it’s supposed to. As soon as the warm, moist bathroom air hit the cold attic, moisture was condensing out of the air, soaking the nearby insulation, wood and drywall, providing perfect conditions for mold growth.

Moving Moist Air ALL the Way Outside

A vent hose not ducted all the way out.
You can see the water stains.

Fortunately, the Spore’s moisture problem was detected and corrected before it became too severe. Dr. Energy Saver installed a new, high-efficiency bathroom fan that not only moved more air for improved ventilation, it also operated more quietly than the original fan. After removing the damp insulation and air-sealing the attic, Dr. Energy Saver installed new insulation and properly vented the fan to the outside.

To avoid serious moisture and mold problems, bathroom and kitchen vent fans as well as the dryer vent must all be vented to the outside of your house. Pushing the open end of a vent’s flexible duct into the soffit (a common shortcut used by some contractors) is simply not good enough and will lead to problems. Dr. Energy Saver will make sure that your clothes dryer and exhaust/vent fans are properly vented to the outside.

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