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So you’re done taking a shower — and suddenly it feels like you’re in part two of your shower. But it’s a cold, sad drip of a shower. You look up and there’s condensation dripping off the ceiling, possibly even from the fan itself. Condensation isn’t just irritating, it’s also potentially damaging to drywall, wood and paint. So if you have moisture in the bathroom, below are several ways to make sure your bathroom is staying as dry as possible. And even if you don’t have current visible moisture issues, you can still prevent future problems and keep your bathroom feeling less humid with these tips.
The tips range from being simple fixes like just opening the heating vent in the bathroom to purchasing a dehumidifier or new bathroom fan. Fixing the moisture in the bathroom problem usually runs from free to around $200 at the higher end for large bathroom fans. The most expensive option, getting heated flooring, can run in the mid-hundreds of dollars. These tips can also take a few minutes or require a couple of hours or so to complete. In an afternoon and with a few hundred bucks max, you can minimize moisture in the bathroom.
These pesky little droplets can lead to mold. Image: nadisja/Shutterstock
Condensation Basics
To start, what is condensation? Most of us know that it’s simply water that accumulates in humid air. More specifically, it’s when humid air hits a cold surface, forming the water droplets we know as condensation. The warmer humid air gets, the more it can deposit as condensation, which is why we notice so much of it after hot showers.
Too much condensation can mean dripping water along your bathrooms surfaces. Paint finishes can chip and wallpaper can be ruined as water collects. And, worse yet, mold can start to form if there is too much unresolved moisture in the bathroom.
So read on to learn how to avoid these problems. And don’t forget to check for and remove mold if you’ve had condensation problems for a while.
Your bathroom fan is often your first line of defense in keeping the bathroom dry, so make sure to keep it free of dirt and dust. Image: Radovan1/Shutterstock
Find Ways to Keep the Air Drier
Luckily, keeping your bathroom free of mold and excess condensation isn’t as hard as it may seem. By trying the following tips, you may even find that reducing moisture in the bathroom was easier than you thought:
- Check any of your heating and cooling vents to make sure they are not closed or partially closed. Even something as small as that can reduce how much dry air is getting into the bathroom, causing condensation issues.
- If you find your bathroom is too humid, simply open windows in the bathroom if you have them. It’s a good way to air out the bathroom when the weather is nice.
- Anything that adds heat to the room can dry out the space. If you’ve been wanting heated flooring in the bathroom, this might be your excuse.
- You can also add a portable dehumidifier, which usually runs anywhere from $20 to $50 for smaller models.
- You should check to make sure your fan is up to the job. Your bathroom should have an extractor fan to carry the moisture elsewhere, especially if your bathroom doesn’t have windows. Clean the dust and dirt away from the fan to keep it running efficiently.
- You can buy a demistable mirror, which has heating pads on the back of the mirror. Since the mirror is warm, condensation can’t form on the mirror, leading to less moisture in the bathroom.
- You can also buy anti-condensation paint, which will shrink the chance for mold and paint chipping, as water won’t stay on the walls.
Show your bathroom some love by wiping off those misty mirrors. Image: Denys Kurbatov/Shutterstock
Adjust Your Shower Routine to Reduce Moisture in the Bathroom
Another easy way to reduce moisture is to adjust your shower routine. These tend to be some of the cheapest and easiest tips, too.
- As mentioned above, warmer humidity means more condensation. Simply take cooler showers.
- Wipe your shower, mirror and sink down after use to reduce any standing water that will evaporate into the air.
- Take any wet towels or clothes out of the bathroom immediately to avoid further moisture in the area.
And remember, start with the easiest solutions first and work your way up to the more involved, expensive ones. You don’t want to try replacing a bathroom fan when it turns out all you had to do was open a heating vent.