Bathroom Lighting and Ventilation Basics
Whether you're doing a bathroom renovation, restoration or addition, lighting and ventilation play one of the most important roles in bathroom design.
But bathroom lighting and ventilation is more than just a simple switch and fan.
It's about getting the proper airflow to prevent mildew and mold growth, getting the best task and ambient lighting and getting the best system for the best price.
Use this guide to bathroom ventilation and lighting to get the ultimate in light fixtures and bathroom ventilation for your bathroom makeover project.
Ventilation The ventilation system of a bathroom typically consists of a fan mounted into the ceiling.
This pulls humid and hot air out through a duct that leads either into the soffit or directly into a roof vent.
A ventilation fans ability to move air is measured by a cubic feet per minute scale of CFM.
The higher the CFM rating, the faster the fan will pull air out of the bathroom.
Many ventilation kits also involve a light fixture that allows you to get both a functional ventilation system and a fashionable light.
Typical bathroom ventilation CFM's should be installed per square foot of bathroom space.
Finding the square footage of your bathroom is as easy as measuring a two walls.
For instance if you have an 8' X 10' bathroom, then your square footage is multiplied by the two numbers for the answer (8x10=80 square feet).
Per 100 feet of square footage, add CFM's for each fixture.
Here's a list of CFM limits per fixture.
Toilet 50 CFM Bathtub 75 CFM Small shower enclosure 50 CFM Large shower enclosure 100 CFM Jetted bathtub 100CFM Lighting Bathroom lighting involves a subtle layering of specific types.
Task lighting works perfectly over toilets, shower enclosures and bathroom vanities.
However, it needs another source of ambient lighting to help prevent shadows and dark spots from forming.
Ambient light sources don't have to be electrical either.
While fluorescents work perfect for any ambient bathroom light source, natural ambient sources like windows and skylights are the ultimate in both lighting and ventilation.
Aesthetic sources can be accent, ambient or task light orientated, but give you the pizzazz and style you need for your home décor design.
Hanging lights like pendant lights and wall sconces offer the perfect lighting solution for bathrooms.
Best of all, these bathroom lighting fixtures come in a huge variety sizes, colors, materials and styles so you'll be sure to get a great light that suits your design as well as your budget.
Here are a few ideas for the ultimate bathroom lighting options.
Monorail Track Pendant Wall sconces Light bars Vent/light combo kits Cove lights LED rail
But bathroom lighting and ventilation is more than just a simple switch and fan.
It's about getting the proper airflow to prevent mildew and mold growth, getting the best task and ambient lighting and getting the best system for the best price.
Use this guide to bathroom ventilation and lighting to get the ultimate in light fixtures and bathroom ventilation for your bathroom makeover project.
Ventilation The ventilation system of a bathroom typically consists of a fan mounted into the ceiling.
This pulls humid and hot air out through a duct that leads either into the soffit or directly into a roof vent.
A ventilation fans ability to move air is measured by a cubic feet per minute scale of CFM.
The higher the CFM rating, the faster the fan will pull air out of the bathroom.
Many ventilation kits also involve a light fixture that allows you to get both a functional ventilation system and a fashionable light.
Typical bathroom ventilation CFM's should be installed per square foot of bathroom space.
Finding the square footage of your bathroom is as easy as measuring a two walls.
For instance if you have an 8' X 10' bathroom, then your square footage is multiplied by the two numbers for the answer (8x10=80 square feet).
Per 100 feet of square footage, add CFM's for each fixture.
Here's a list of CFM limits per fixture.
Toilet 50 CFM Bathtub 75 CFM Small shower enclosure 50 CFM Large shower enclosure 100 CFM Jetted bathtub 100CFM Lighting Bathroom lighting involves a subtle layering of specific types.
Task lighting works perfectly over toilets, shower enclosures and bathroom vanities.
However, it needs another source of ambient lighting to help prevent shadows and dark spots from forming.
Ambient light sources don't have to be electrical either.
While fluorescents work perfect for any ambient bathroom light source, natural ambient sources like windows and skylights are the ultimate in both lighting and ventilation.
Aesthetic sources can be accent, ambient or task light orientated, but give you the pizzazz and style you need for your home décor design.
Hanging lights like pendant lights and wall sconces offer the perfect lighting solution for bathrooms.
Best of all, these bathroom lighting fixtures come in a huge variety sizes, colors, materials and styles so you'll be sure to get a great light that suits your design as well as your budget.
Here are a few ideas for the ultimate bathroom lighting options.
Monorail Track Pendant Wall sconces Light bars Vent/light combo kits Cove lights LED rail
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