En-suite fan/vent (2023 Update)

[Gemma]

Morning,

We’ve recently moved into a 1930’s semi detached property. The first thing we want to do is open up the living room fireplace and put some sort of burner in there. However after being in here for two weeks we think that the en-suite bathroom fan must be venting into the chimney. It’s an internal bathroom with no access to a external wall. Also on our survey of the property the chimney recorded higher than normal readings for moisture. Any idea who I need to approach to investigate this and to confirm that’s the case and rectify it? Thanks and I’m sure I’ll have a load more questions as we uncover more problems!

[HOH_Advisor]

A DIY solution for checking where the bathroom fan is venting to would be to first locate the vent for the fan. It is typically located near the ceiling or on the wall of the bathroom. Once you have located the vent, you can use a mirror or a flashlight to look inside the vent and see where it leads. You can also use a smoke test, where you light a stick of incense or a candle and hold it near the vent while the fan is running. The smoke should be pulled out of the vent and into the outside of the house. If it's not, it may be venting into the chimney.

It's important to note that if you are not comfortable or confident in performing these steps, it is best to contact a professional to inspect and confirm the issue and also to rectify it safely.