Venting bathroom through ceiling into cockloft

Has anybody had experience with a top floor bathroom with only a ceiling vent? I would like to put in a light fixture/vent fan that would take steam through the ceiling into the cockloft, but my electrician cautions against it, warning of mold. Has anyone had experience –good or bad–with this? Do I really need to worry about mold on roof beams?

hannalessinger

in General Discussion 3 years and 2 months ago

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greenworks | 3 years and 2 months ago

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Thanks Bob!

There’s issues for us with back wall too – we already did DIY one roof penetration on our own a few years ago with no issues – the work is much easier than dealing with our masonry – we’ve Diy’d that too – but we don’t feel like DIY’ing either again (we’re tired!) and we just need to find someone who will use the appropriate level of mindfulness.

dorkofwindsor | 3 years and 2 months ago

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mine are all through the back wall (brick). Two bathrooms, two dryers, one kitchen. nearly all appliances are from the middle of house. i havent had a ton of luck with roof penetrations in general, but the back wall never gives me problems.

RobertGMarvin

in General Discussion 3 years and 2 months ago

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That wouldn’t have worked in my top floor bathroom which is in the middle of the floor. There have been no leaks through the roof vent.

andriywww1990 | 3 years and 2 months ago

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Many of them over here through back wall.

GreenThinker | 3 years and 2 months ago

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another option is to vent it through the back wall, there’s usually more than enough space to do so. Less risky than making a hole in the roof.

RobertGMarvin

in General Discussion 3 years and 2 months ago

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I’m sorry boo—it was at least 20 years ago and I don’t either the roofer or electrician are still in business.

greenworks | 3 years and 2 months ago

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Hi Bob – how long ago did you do this? If fairly recent, would you mind letting me know who did the roofing part? We want to do same but only roofer we ever used was Premier and it’s too small a job for them. And the prospect of leaks means I don’t want just anyone. If you don’t want to post it publicly I can post my email.

RobertGMarvin

in General Discussion 3 years and 2 months ago

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It really wasn’t a big deal to have the fan vented through the roof. I called my regular electrician and roofer. I expected the roofer to merely install the vent and drop the flexible duct into the cockloft, but he was nice enough to insist on working while the electrician was there.

andriywww1990 | 3 years and 2 months ago

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Jim, you were right to list all that other stuff first. The law does not mean a lot today but if we point out the damage we can do to one’s property (and wallet), that usually works. The code is secondary.

jimhillra | 3 years and 2 months ago

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yes, doors, it’s definitely not legal.

dorkofwindsor | 3 years and 2 months ago

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this is literally what not to do. i will hold back on the rant.

andriywww1990 | 3 years and 2 months ago

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Besides all that jim says, doing something like that will surely be against code. In case what jim is saying is not enough reason.

jimhillra | 3 years and 2 months ago

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It’s not mold on the beams you need to worry about. It’s mold on insulation or the sheetrock. Both materials provide excellent breeding grounds for mold, and the cockloft will be a warm, damp, dark environment with little air movement, which is the perfect environment for mold. I would strongly recommend against adding moisture to the cockloft. Bob’s approach would be the ideal way to do it, and is not particularly expensive.

RobertGMarvin

in General Discussion 3 years and 2 months ago

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  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(779)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(0) {
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(0) {
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(0) {
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

FWIW I had a vent fan/light installed with a duct going through the cockloft to a mushroom vent on the roof.