What to do about wet Bathroom walls?

Donna
by Donna
always moisture on my bathroom walls after showering. I have a ceiling fan, but its not helping. I want to repaint the walls, but I need advice for my wet walls. What can I do? TIA

  10 answers
  • Dfm Dfm on Jun 13, 2018

    you need an exhaust fan in the bathroom, not a a ceiling fan. the exhaust fan moves air up via a vent thru the ceiling to the out side. use a higher gloss paint for the walls. .

  • Shuganne Shuganne on Jun 13, 2018

    You should install an exhaust fan. A qualified electrician should advise you. Did you buy the house like that, because I don't think that would pass code. Check into that with your local government.

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Jun 13, 2018

    ceiling fans do not pull moisture out of the bathroom.you can paint with a moisture barrier paint however that will not solve your problem

  • Seth Seth on Jun 13, 2018

    By ceiling fan do you mean you have a paddle type ceiling fan or is it some type of heat/exhaust fan? Is this a new problem or is just the ways it's been since you moved in? The floor your bathroom is on and what is directly above it will determine your options if you don't currently have an exhaust fan

    • Donna Donna on Jun 16, 2018

      It is an ehaust fan. I have a ceramic tie floor and blueboard ceiling. The exhaust fasn is centered on the ceiling.

  • Install an exhaust fan, leave the door open after showering, if there is a window, open it. Use a high gloss washable paint formulated for kitchens and bathrooms. Don't forget to wash the walls and prime first!

  • Shore grandmom Shore grandmom on Jun 13, 2018

    You need an exhaust fan to get rid of moisture.

  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jun 14, 2018

    Check to see if your fan is properly installed and vented to the outside! You need to get proper ventilation in there before you proceed.

  • John Grimley John Grimley on Jun 14, 2018

    You can start by making sure the fan is extracting correctly. Has the grille been cleaned? A great use for the small brush head nozzle on the Henry (or similar). With the fan running, it should easily hold a piece of kitchen paper towel against the grille. Perhaps the fan and pipes are clogged with years of dust? can you access these to clean them out?


    If the walls are just painted, make sure they are dry - use a silicone or rubber squeegee to remove excess water (even a windscreen wiper will suffice!). Dry with an old towel then 'paint' the walls with a dilute PVA, perhaps half water/half PVA. start around the shower area & by the time you work your way around, it should start to become tacky - go over it again until you've used it up. THEN paint the walls with a paint recommended for damp areas (kitchen/bathroom paint). A couple of coats should suffice.

  • Seth Seth on Jun 19, 2018

    There are a few things to check. if you have access to the space above the fan (attic or eaves?) check to make sure that it is properly venting outside and there are no obstructions in the duct. If you take the fan cover off from the bathroom side, look for the manufactures info and determine what the capacity of the fan is. It may be undersized. Make sure it is the correct size for you the cubic footage of your bathroom. Increasing the size of the duct from a 4 inch to a 6 inch will give you better flow. Another thing to check is where the fan is getting its air from. For example, do you have a forced hot air duct in the bathroom or baseboard radiator. You need at least a 3/4 inch opening under your bathroom door to get enough airflow. A fan that is rated to move 70 cubic feet per minute will not move that much if it is not getting enough air or the duct is too small or there are too many bends in the duct before it gets to the outside. You will always have some moisture on the walls if there is a lot of hot steam, which will quickly condense on the walls, mirrors, etc., but it should not be excessive and should dry quickly if you run the fan for 10-15 minutes after showering.

  • Agnes Chrzanowska Agnes Chrzanowska on Dec 31, 2021

    Change ventilation .. install fan