How To Vent A Bathroom With No Outside Access

Ossiana Tepfenhart
by Ossiana Tepfenhart
A bathroom without a vent can leave you cringing at all the moisture that will be left to fester inside your walls and ceiling. Whether it be adding a floor vent or new ductwork, let’s take a look at how you can vent a bathroom without outside access.

Bathroom ventilation is essential to prevent mold growth, mildew, and odors from lingering. However, it is easy said than done to vent a bathroom when you have no outside access. So, how can you vent a bathroom with no outside access?

Install new ductwork or expand existing ductwork to vent a bathroom. Put in a ceiling vent and floor vent to remove moisture in the air so that it doesn’t settle. Upgrade to commercial ductwork to improve the airflow in your bathroom or use a bathroom air purifier to prevent mold and mildew.

Ventilation can make a bathroom more comfortable and even safer to use. Mold remediation can cost thousands of dollars, and you can avoid it if you vent your bathroom. Follow along as we explore how you can vent your bathroom with no outside access.

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Do You Have A Ventilation Problem?

When people first buy their homes, they usually assume that a bathroom will not have a ventilation problem. However, in older homes, it’s possible to have a bathroom that was built without a vent and without access to the outdoors. This can lead to a slew of problems that will make themselves known fast. The most common signs of a bathroom in need of more ventilation include:

  • Mold. In a poorly ventilated bathroom, moisture ends up getting trapped for longer periods of time. This can lead to increases in mold and mildew, especially on walls and tiling.
  • Stuffiness. Have you ever been in a room that isn’t well ventilated? It’s stuffy. You’ll notice this right off the bat.
  • Lingering Smells. When you have to go to the bathroom, a ventilated bathroom will be able to handle smells that come from your toilet. A poorly ventilated one might have smells linger for half an hour or more.
  • Extra Moisture. Because bathrooms involve showers, sinks, and tubs, a badly ventilated bathroom tends to have lingering moisture in the air even if you didn’t recently use the facilities.

How to Vent a Bathroom

Venting a bathroom is easier said than done, but you can do it with or without professional help. It is ideal to hire a professional if you need to vent a bathroom but don’t have outside access, but DIYers can do it without a problem. Whether you add a ceiling vent or plug in a fan, let’s take a look at how you can vent a bathroom without outside access.

1. Ceiling Vent

The easiest way to vent a bathroom without outside access is to install a ceiling vent. A ceiling vent is a machine that features a light fixture and a mechanism that helps filter air out of the bathroom. Humid air can leave your bathroom through your ceiling vent so that the space doesn’t retain moisture.

It is easy and affordable to add a vent to existing ductwork, and that costs an average of $383. Costs vary based on whether you install your ceiling vent or hire a contractor. Luckily, you can install a ceiling vent in your bathroom for less than $100 if your only cost is the parts.

2. Install Ductwork

Install ductwork to help vent your bathroom, and add to existing ductwork if you already have it. Widen your ductwork to increase the airflow to add ventilation to your bathroom. Outdated ducts can restrict the airflow in your bathroom and can make it easier for mold and mildew to grow.

Sometimes, additional ductwork isn’t enough and you may need to upgrade to commercial ductwork. Commercial ductwork may seem like overkill if you have a small home, but it is useful if you have persistent ventilation problems. You can improve the airflow throughout your home and in your bathroom if you install commercial ductwork, and it costs an average of $2,4000.

Video: Venting A Basement Bathroom Fan Outside

3. Floor Vent

You can improve your bathroom’s ventilation if you install a floor vent. Luckily, you don’t need outside access as long as you have ductwork in place that can support a floor vent. A floor vent can provide well-rounded ventilation that can remove lingering odors and reduce the risk of mold.

Floor vents aren’t quite as effective as ceiling vents, but they can reduce the moisture in the air. You can pair a floor vent with a ceiling vent to reduce odors and air out your bathroom more efficiently. The main advantage of floor vents is that they can help push heat into your bathroom easier than a ceiling vent.

You can add ductwork for your floor if you don’t have it already or if you can’t install ceiling ducts. A homeowner can spend up to $1,800 to install bathroom floor ducts.

4. Use a Fan

While it is mostly a temporary fix, you can help vent your bathroom if you use a portable fan. The motion of the fan can help reduce the humidity and dry the room out so that moisture doesn’t linger. Plug in a fan after or during a shower for at least 10 minutes to help circulate the air when your bathroom is stuffy.

Leave the bathroom door open and turn a fan on after you shower to efficiently reduce moisture. Bathroom air purifiers cost as little as $50 and more better equipped for moisture than standard plug-in fans. However, a simple fan cannot remove moisture as effectively as a ceiling vent, floor vent, or commercial ductwork.

Fans are ideal if you don’t have outside access because you don’t need to vent them. You can use a plug-in fan in conjunction with vents and ductwork to improve your bathroom’s ventilation.

Bathroom Ventilation Cost

It costs an average of $383 to add ventilation to your bathroom. Costs vary based on the size of the bathroom, existing ventilation, and what kind of ventilation you need. Homeowners can spend an additional $2,400 on average to add new ductwork to a bathroom, and that is often necessary when you install ventilation fans.

You may spend up to $3,000 to add ductwork, but you can spend as little as $80 to add an exhaust fan if you already have ductwork and install it without help. However, you can expect to spend at least $230 to install a new exhaust fan if you hire a general contractor. It is worth the cost to add ventilation to your bathroom because it is much cheaper than a mold inspection and remediation.

Homeowners can spend $50 on a fan to help ventilate a bathroom, but that isn’t a permanent solution. Plug-in fans can improve air circulation and remove help remove moisture, but they don’t perform as well as ceiling vents, floor vents, and new ducts. However, a fan may be the best solution if you live in an old home that would be too expensive to add new ductwork to.

Can You Vent a Bathroom by Yourself?

You can vent a bathroom by yourself for under $100 if you simply add a ceiling vent. However, you can expect to spend up to $300 on parts and supplies if you vent your bathroom without professional help. It is ideal to hire a professional if you have to add new ductwork or expand existing ductwork.

You must calculate the tonnage of your air conditioner to make sure that the system has enough power to vent to another room. Tonnage requirements are based on what zone you live in and are related to the climate. For example, Zone 2 requires 35 to 40 BTUs per square foot in your home.

Divide the BTUs of your AC unit by 10,000 and multiply the airflow per minute by the cubic feet of airflow per minute. This will determine what size of vent you need to fit your duct to ventilate your bathroom. It is a complicated process, and that is why it is recommended that you hire a professional to vent your bathroom.

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Related Questions

Can you vent bathroom with dryer?

You cannot vent a bathroom with the same vent as a dryer because it can be dangerous. It is ideal to have a short path from ducts to a vent, and that is mostly impossible if a bathroom and dryer share a vent. A dryer should vent outside whereas a bathroom may not need to vent outside if you use a ceiling vent.

How long do bathroom ceiling fans last?

Bathroom ceiling fans can last for an average of 10 years, but it depends on how much you use them. You can improve the lifespan of your bathroom ceiling fan if you clean it every 6 months to remove dust and debris. Try to clean your bathroom fan at least twice per year, or it may go bad in as little as 5 years.

Summing It Up

The best way to vent your bathroom without outside access is to install a ceiling vent. Floor vents can also improve ventilation, remove odors, and reduce moisture in your bathroom. You may need to install new ducts, add to existing ducts, or upgrade to commercial ducts to improve your bathroom’s ventilation.

Plug in a fan or air purifier to remove moisture in your bathroom if you don’t have access to ducts or need a temporary fix. It costs up to $3,000 to install new ducts, but you can install a ceiling vent for as little as $80 if you already have ducts. It is ideal to hire a professional to vent your bathroom if you need to install new ducts or your house is outdated.

Venting a bathroom is easier said than done, but you can do it with or without professional help. It is ideal to hire a professional if you need to vent a bathroom but don’t have outside access, but DIYers can do it without a problem. Whether you add a ceiling vent or plug in a fan, let’s take a look at how you can vent a bathroom without outside access.

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Ossiana Tepfenhart
Ossiana Tepfenhart

Ossiana Tepfenhart is an expert writer, focusing on interior design and general home tips. Writing is her life, and it's what she does best. Her interests include art and real estate investments.

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