"low" extractor fan ..........

[Octopus]

OK, its best to mount extractor fans high on walls, or in ceilings but how effective would one be mounted lower down the wall?

scenario - the outside wall is part wall and mainly sloping ceiling - so its possible to mount the fan at waist height and then have a short run down to the eaves.

Any thoughts or experiences?

Thanks

 

[telectrix]

can't quite visualise what you describe. do you mean fit fan in sloping ceiling or on wall below?

 

[Octopus]

wall below

 

[telectrix]

can't see a problem as long as you can achieve the necessary air flow.

 

[Octopus]

can't see a problem as long as you can achieve the necessary air flow.

That's what I was thinking - but hot steamy air rises ......

 

[The Ghost]

Building regs require as close to the ceiling to ensure warm moist air is extracted as well as install according to manufacturer. Clearly warm moist air will convect upwards and will condense to water lower down so the fan will fail in removing warm moist air at that level is my thinking. Why not vent through a tile?

 

[MDJ]

No it doesn't fella, cold air falls and pushes the warm up lol, anyhow I have seen fans at low levels, they work fine, just make sure it is a decent fan and not a cheapy.

 

[telectrix]

agree with mike. a decent fan should pull it in.

 

[The Ghost]

Wonder why building regs says ceiling level then?

 

[MDJ]

Wonder why building regs says ceiling level then?

I expect they think it is safer out of reach, rather than efficiency in removing steam.

 

[telectrix]

maybe they meant sealing any gaps and some typist has predictive text.

 

[Rpa07]

A decent fan will not need the hot air fed to it - it will vacuum the room air out - so as has been discussed, a decent fan will do the job if no other way of mounting it.
It’s always advised that there is adequate air to enter the room to prevent zero gravity with good quality fan extraction (i’m sounding more like @static zap everyday!)

 

[Octopus]

I'll probably use an ICON fan and the run to the sofix will only be a couple of feet so it'll be nice and efficient...

 

[Gary K]

Has there got to be a happy medium between clearing the warm damp air and taking the heat out of the whole house in winter? The nearer the fan is to the ceiling you can get the former done but if you have to use a too powerful extractor you end up throwing out all the warm air from whatever rooms are open to the kitchen which has to be replaced via window vents and the like and has to be reheated
Could the fan be connected with some form of ducting?

 

[Richard Burns]

Overall it will be less effective for a matching fan at a higher level, however if you ensure an increased air flow with easy replacement air and better direction of extraction from one end of the room to the other then it may be more effective.
Convoluted extract paths, no replacement air and user non operation will have a greater effect than low level installation.

 

[FatAlan]

Needs to be low enough to effectively extract but not too low so as you smack your head every time you check to see if your scrambled egg is sticking to the bottom of the pan.

 

[Gary K]

Think he's talking about a fan rather than a hood!

 

[elsparko]

cold air in the bottom, hot air out the top

 

[Midwest]

I'll probably use an ICON fan and the run to the sofix will only be a couple of feet so it'll be nice and efficient...

On another forum, one of the members worked for the makers of ICON fans. They was some sort of management change, and cuts were made in the manufacturing process, resulting in poorer quality products from previous examples, apparently. This particular member then left, so it might be sour grapes, but he said things ain't like it used to be.

I think the problem of mounting the fan lower, will result in some of the damp air condensing on surfaces, causing mould etc. Mounting higher up or via the ceiling will extract more of the moist air quickly, reducing condensation & mould.

Of all the examples of mould etc I've seen, most were where the fans have been mounted lower. So go higher IMO

 

[Midwest]

No it doesn't fella, cold air falls and pushes the warm up lol,

I disagree, but these chaps can't agree;
Does hot air really rise? - https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/6329/does-hot-air-really-rise

Hot air rises because its less dense than cold air, therefore is the primary mover.

Given your hypotheses, a hot air ballooner, would have to wait around for some cold air ballooners to go for a flight