Once your new bathroom is finished, it’s important to know how to deal with any condensation too. Condensation occurs when water vapour (or steam) becomes liquid – turning back into water droplets that then settle on windows, mirrors, shower screens and other hard surfaces in the bathroom. Here’s our advice on keeping your windows and bathroom dry and fresh, whilst avoiding mould, mildew and damp issues.
1 – Ventilation + Open Windows
If you have an opening window that is easily accessible in your bathroom, keep it slightly ajar whenever possible. Open windows help the air and water vapour/steam to circulate and disperse, as well as keeping the room fresh and pleasant too. Once the bath or shower session is over, a quick wipe over with a dry, lint-free cotton cloth or a micro-fibre cloth, will quickly absorb any surface droplets. And, it sounds obvious, but leave the bathroom door open – it lets the warm air spread into the rest of the house.
2 – Baths + Tiles
A rooms that is full of cold, shiny surfaces may end up with some condensation, but the answer is to keep it nicely ventilated, open the window, and use the radiator to keep the room at a steady, even temperature. A bathroom that is super cold all day will suffer from condensation very quickly when a bath or shower is run, as the steam hits cold tiles and surfaces. Try having the radiators on a very low setting, just ticking over, or think about underfloor heating. Take a look at Electric Underfloor Heating from Tile Mountain with a times and thermostat to allow perfect temperature control and on/off settings.
3 – Mirrors + Mirror Cabinets
Condensation on a bathroom is annoying, and one of the solutions is to choose a heated bathroom mirror, which keeps everything clear and visually sparkling. Our Olivia mirror comes in several different sizes and versions, one of which has a heated demister pad behind the glass, which keeps the mirror clear and dry. Its LED illuminated, and also has a Shaver Socket, so everyone in the family will be happy. This model needs mains power, and its of course safety rated IP44 for Zone 2 bathroom use.
4 – A Simple Layout + Condensation
Keep an eye on all windows for potential condensation issues – not just in the main bathroom but in all rooms, particularly if there’s an en-suite cloakroom or shower on the same floor. Once again, ventilation is the key to keeping condensation under control. Consider installing an extractor fan if you’re redoing the whole bathroom, and underfloor heating will help keep the temperature ticking over during really cold weather. Adding Venetian blinds to the interior scheme maintains privacy whilst allowing the window to be slightly open to alleviate condensation.
5 – Taps, Mirrors + Panelling
Bathroom panelling doesn’t tend to attract condensation, the wood or MDF painted surface won’t get as cold as tiles, glass or mirrored surfaces. However, for the sake of keeping everything spick and span, remember to give all panelling a wipe down every couple of weeks or so – if it’s got slightly damp it will attract dust. Keep taps and mirrors dry too, if a particularly hot bath or shower has caused condensation to appear. A 30-second wipe down is worth it to keep everything looking pristine!
6 – A Heated Towel Rail
Our range of heated towel rails and radiators are available in multiple sizes and finishes, so there’s something to suit all sizes of bathroom. The smallest cloakroom will benefit from a heated towel rail, and prevent condensation and other problems. Larger, family bathrooms need to be warm and comfortable toom and a heated towel rail will help prevent any condensation problems, as well as keep towels warm and dry. After all, no-one wants damp towels hanging around! Electric and Central Heating Versions available.
7 – Condensation on Windows, Bath + Shower Screens
The easiest way of quickly dealing with condensation on windows and screens (apart from letting it dry naturally by letting fresh air into the room) is a very swift once over with a shower squeegee or, if you’ve got large patio door windows, a rechargeable window-vac. Prevention is better than cure though, and don’t forget bath and shower screens from Bathroom Mountain use easy-clean glass with water-repelling properties to avoid such issues.
8 – Simple Solutions
Streamlined design is one of the answers to dealing with condensation. Multi-paned windows can be tedious to clean, and larger, single-pane windows are more straightforward, especially with the help of a squeegee or a vac. Don’t forget that final dry-buff with a microfibre cloth for a perfect finish. Here, our Copenhagen Easy Clean Wet Room Glass Panel looks very sleek and streamlined, and will be easy to maintain. Don’t forget the window recesses when you’re checking for window condensation, plus our other key solutions, fresh air, ventilation, an extractor if necessary and a willingness to spare a few seconds for a quick dry-down when required!
There you have our guide on how to deal with condensation on windows and in the bathroom. We hope we’ve helped you gain an insight into how to manage condensation and keep it at bay, ensuring your home remains as good as new! Be sure to tag us in pictures of your bathroom over on Instagram @Bathroommountainuk, for a chance to feature on our website!
