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Did you know that excess moisture is the leading cause of decay in bathrooms? And even worse, most bathroom moisture issues will go undetected for years until it's too late and menacing mold develops or structural damage occurs. The following is a list of five steps you can implement in your new bathroom plans to ensure that moisture will not be a problem.
1] Location, Location, Location -
Due to temperature variations related to exterior walls plumbing placed inside these walls can sweat, drip and accumulate moisture over time. To avoid this issue in your bathroom plans keep supply lines and drain lines confined to interior walls whenever possible. If you must have plumbing in exterior walls use pipe insulation on each run of plumbing.
2] Vent out moisture -
If your bathroom plans include whirlpool tub or a steam shower you must not forget that these luxury items can create enormous amounts of steam in the bathroom. You should look for a high capacity super quiet bath fan and don't be afraid to spend more for a high quality unit. Make certain that the new fan is ducted through an exterior wall by the shortest path possible. Most of all run the fan. If you have large steam producers such as a whirlpool or steam shower, turn the fan on while taking a bath or steam. Afterwards, close the door to the room and leave the fan on for a minimum of 30 additional minutes.
3] Toilet condensation...drip...drip...drip -
Condensation on the toilet tank is typical in the summer months especially in homes where air conditioning is not used. The least expensive way to control this excess moisture is by using a tank insulation kit. Another option is to install an anti sweat valve to supply just enough hot water to the tank to keep condensation from forming.
4] To Tile or Not -
Many shower floors are covered with tile and each individual grout line represents and opportunity for water to penetrate. While many shower floors can last for years the best protection against grout leaks is to reduce the number of grout lines in the shower. This can be done by using a one piece shower floor pan. Plenty of standard sizes are available and some floor pan producers will make custom sizes to fit your exact lay out.
5] Design a dryer wall -
Bathroom walls must be designed to work well with the particular climate of a given region. The climate will determine exactly where a vapor barrier is to be placed within the wall during construction. Since moisture generally travels from a warmer to a cooler area, if you live in a Northern climate the vapor barrier would be installed on the inside of the ceiling and wall framing while breathable, permeable exterior sheeting is then used on the exterior. This will allow for any moisture entering the wall space to escape. A local building pro will be able to best help design the right wall system for your new bathroom plans.
These five tips will help make sure your bathroom plans come together with dryness and lower maintenance cost as a priority.
