Simon Dearnley
Hi Martyn, Yes,the extractor is pointless if it`s not vented to outside, and especially if it`s boarded over in the loft! seems like the person who fitted it was being lazy! the streaming window issue indicates there is a lot of humidity in the air which will almost certainly result in mould growing in other areas also,this is why the building regulations require on new properties,extraction in kitchens,utility rooms and Bathrooms to remove condensation at source in the rooms most likely to produce it, I would suggest you get the fan ducted out to the outside,if as I interpret,the fan is in an upstairs ceiling you have a few options, either duct it to the eaves and through the soffit or straight through the roof with a weather slate fitted,or, if you have a gable end wall in your loft,drill a hole through there, I would also recommend you avoid flexible ducting especially if running horizontally as the condensation collects inside it and you get water running out of the fan! rigid plastic pipe is best and it also helps to lag it with loft insulation where it passes through the loft,this keeps the condensation down. make sure any horizontal ducting falls slightly to the outside. This should help with your problem,if it`s a bathroom fan it should have an over run timer and come on with the light and run a good 6 or 7 minutes after the light has been turned off, or the fan should be humidity controlled (the best option,though more expensive) these fans run continuously at an economical low speed and speed up on detection of moisture in the air,therefore the moisture is continually being extracted,also without the light needing to be on. Regards Simon
