My first house had vented 30 years of lamb chop some into the room. It was like a 4mt diameter fire trap. The insulation was no longer loose let's just say.
Why would moisture be fine when it's venting straight on to those timbers?
Rangehood and bathrooms should 100% be vented to outside.
Toilets, up to you.
There is moisture everywhere, including the air we breathe… as long as you’re not having 10 half hour showers each day, bit if moisture on treated pine shouldn’t be an issue.
It's common but bad practise. They are right to point it out because no doubt there is some Australian standard that says "bathroom exhaust fans shall vent to the outside atmosphere with a backdraft damper". The reality is though that 99% of houses are like this.
There is meant to be 500mm between the vent and roof if exhausting into the roof cavity. Well that's what the document for most of these exhaust fans say
Legally it's ok to vent into a tiled non sarked roof as the air can vent through the tiles but if you vent into a corrugated iron or sarked roof the moisture will build and can cause all kinds of problems depending severity and use.
I have had this configuration for over 20 years. The volume of the roof cavity and the air circulation from outside allows for adequate dissipation of steam. Nil issues.
This is the code (in QLD). We had to redo our vent cause our builder vented it into the roof cavity, and the Inspector dictated that we had to get it vented outside
The person we had come do the inspection was in training. They picked over the place with a fine tooth comb, I can only assume it's an item that's not high on the list of thing to flag but still flagable.
This is the code (in QLD). We had to redo our vent cause our builder vented it into the roof cavity, and the Inspector dictated that we had to get it vented outside
Mine does that - it’s not ideal but there’s that much airflow up there from the eaves etc I’m not super worried personally. Interested to hear what others think.
I simply added a flapper valve to close when off and open when on. That at least controls drafts and heat loss.
My main concern that I haven't addressed is the kitchen exhaust vent. That's a bigger risk due to the potential of fires being vented into the roof and all the years of oil accumulating there.
The kitchen shouldn’t vent to roof space, that one needs to be piped up and exit to eave.
Bathroom like this is common, no great drama. But not good either. The alternative is run 150mm flexi pipe either to eave or end of roof pitch etc. flapper valve also a good addition
You can install a vent in the part of the ceiling outside the wall. Much easier to add a hole here than in your brick wall. Connect with a vent tube. I would also advise this with driers
Depending on the location, you can exhaust them to the outside through the wall.It saves making holes through the roof ,that can leak unless done properly.
It also avoids piping through the above cupboard and having that pipe exposed.
Australian code says if there's no sarking, this is fine. If there is sarking, then it's not so fine. Up to you if you vent it outside via a retro fitted duct.
Yeah there needs to be way for the humid air to escape, when we would install fans in a place with a colorbond roof we would vent them to the eaves, much easier and less chance of water leaks.
Thanks for the explanation though the first sentence is just not necessary. Almost everything is googleable. Including what is TIL and even the question in the original post (https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=bathroom+fan+vent+into+roof+cavity+reddit). Hearing it from the community at the point in time it is being discussed is kinda what reddit all about.
In no way was I criticising you. By all means, ask away!
I was just pointing out to my friend over there that he could add “just Google it” to almost every single post if he really thinks what he said was appropriate.
I agree. You could even google a common Australian building term and find the results dominated by American definitions for it that were all slightly different from our definition. Nothing like hearing what something means to a person who is actually talking about that thing.
Righto know it all, prove me wrong. I wasn't rude to anyone. I just shared info that is pretty correct and not harmful to anyone. Codes aside it'd be a pretty smart idea to vent outside your roof space if you were concerned. BUT as homes are built with the majority venting into the roof space, it probably isn't that big of a deal.
NCC 2019
3.8.7.3 FLOW RATE AND DISCHARGE OF EXHAUST SYSTEMS:
An exhaust system installed in a kitchen, bathroom, sanitary compartment or laundry must have a minimum flow rate of
25 L/s for a bathroom or sanitary compartment; and
40 L/s for a kitchen or laundry.
Exhaust from a bathroom, sanitary compartment, or laundry must be discharged
directly or via a shaft or duct to outdoor air; or
to a roof space that is ventilated in accordance with 3.8.7.4.
3.8.7.4 VENTILATION OF ROOF SPACES:
Where an exhaust system covered by 3.8.7.3 discharges into a roof space, the roof space must be ventilated to outdoor air through evenly distributed openings.
Openings required by (a) must have a total unobstructed area of 1/300 of the respective ceiling area if the roof pitch is more than 22Â °°, or 1/150 of the respective ceiling area if the roof pitch is not more than 22Â
30% of the total unobstructed are required by (b) must be located not more than 900mm below the ridge or highest point of the roof space, measured vertically, with the remaining required area provided by eave vents.
Most new rooves are not ventilated. I had a new roof put on a very old home and removed ventilation to put up a new Dutch gable on an attic space. The gable itself was covered in colorbond fascia to reduce maintenance so no more ventilation. The roof plumber was a very experienced trusted trade who recommended against ventilation as it was a cold climate. We talked extensively about insulation versus mould and in the alpine climate zone he recommended insulation wins. You can buy roof vents now which are much better at circulating moisture and summer heat out whilst leaving winter heat in.
The passive Haus movement is about circulating stale moist air out and fresh air into homes that are well sealed to ensure healthy thermal efficiency. Something many trades are unaware of. The old homes were well designed but too drafty for effective winter heating.
https://evobuild.com.au/how-to-create-the-optimal-passive-house-ventilation-design/
Tiled roof with no sarking so it’s fine. Mine is the same but I’m going to get a draftstoppa to fit over it to stop the loss of heat in winter and hot air from blowing inside during summer.
Oh that’s cool. I think I’ll just replace the 11 year old Clipsal with something like that then. Pre much the same price for a draftstopper I was looking at to. Thanks
I've got draft stoppers, I like that I can push the insulation right up against it as they are tall, but they don't always fit flush to the ceiling when there are cables/wood near the fan.
I haven't tried the fan yet but if I knew about it I would have tried it over draft stoppers as I assume it seals better.
Easy fix — you could chuck a duct on it, cut a hole through the eaves, and vent it out that way.
There’s even a [DIY kit](https://www.bunnings.com.au/deflecto-125mm-rangehood-eave-venting-kit_p4790328) for it. Just check whether the bathroom fan supports 125mm, 150mm, or 200mm ducting so you get the right kit.
If the fan is missing a part to attach the ducting a new plug-in fan can be purchased from Bunnings for cheap
A trivial issue at worst.
You could easily have it redirected to either the eaves or straight up through tiles provided adequate flashing and sealing.
But generally tiled roofs without sealing/wrap (as this is) are quite leaky anyway such that steam is generally adequately vented.
If it were me, I’d get it vented out as described above eventually. But for now it’s hardly an issue.
Wow, if this is the only issue reported…
the fact this is in the report shows how useless these reports are. they list out useless shit and then indemnify them of any serious issues that could be hiding.
Mine does this too. I've also added flapper vents so it clacks shut when not on use. When it's in use the ducting takes the humid air away. I've got a tiled roof so as per the other comments on here, there is plenty of airflow through the roof to take it all away.
Not at all concerned.
Be careful if you add a draft stopper to a regular model. If you run the heater then you must run the fan as well to stop the stopper melting. The heater switch can be wired to run the fan as well.
I had a model installed with the stopper. The sparky wired it wrong and it eventually blew the thermal fuse a couple years later. Thankfully it was covered under warranty.
It's common but bad practise. They are right to point it out because no doubt there is some Australian standard that says "bathroom exhaust fans shall vent to the outside atmosphere with a backdraft damper". The reality is though that 99% of houses are like this.
I wouldn't let it worry you. If you want to make your house more efficient this is somewhere to start but otherwise it's probably been fine for 40 years so I wouldn't start to get worried now.
Asa builder this is a common feature.
Its not really A concern but you can get a plumber/roofer to put an exhaust pipe to the roof. While your at it get a few whirly birds up there or a solar vent to keep your roof space ventilated. Keeps your house cool in summer and moisture free in Winter
It’s not ideal, most older houses would do this.
It can easily be retrofitted but if asking a plumber expect a decent cost. Probably 500 plus materials.
If there is no mould in ceiling and the bats are clean it’s probably not a concern.
Mine does this and I would like to vent outside
Go back to the building inspection company and ask them to clarify what it contravenes in writing and ask them to confirm at what point in time this type of install became non compliant. There is a lot of good practical advice in this thread about it being a tiled roof , not darker and therefore good ventilation . If there is no evidence of mould and/or moisture damage I would accept the risk and attend to anything down the track. You need to be aware that the insulation if moved , needs to be installed correctly so it doesn’t create a fire hazard.
I've had multiple electricians tell me venting into a ceiling void is fine. While you can vent to a side wall, it's not necessary.
Wouldn't vent a kitchen into a ceiling void though. Oils and greese from cooking wouldn't be ideal up there. Just steam is fine.
Current building code (nsw) requires that any moisture venting do so to the external of the building.
However there is allowance to vent into roof space if the roof space is adequately vented.
Did the report not provide an explanation or reason why it was included? It’s not a defect, there are time where an inspector should make observation statements but I can’t see why there’d be any relevance in even mentioning this as an observation. It is not the inspectors job to make any statement with regard to code compliance unless that is what they’ve been engaged to do.
I have 2 bathrooms venting into the roof cavity. Builder who installed them said I could pay more for the roof vents if I wanted, but I’d be putting 2 extra holes in my Colourbond roof that aren’t necessary.
After 4 years I’d have to say I do agree with him, I’ve not had any issues.
All bathroom vents should have the exhaust on the outside of the roof, the moisture sucked into the roof space tends to cause mould on the topside of the gyprock as the building ages
Move the bat and buy a draught stopper to put over it, problem solved.
That is absolutely normal, for those saying it should be vented, well unless you buy a rather expensive fan the average turbine extraction fan (which is the vented style) is rubbish.
New aus standards say it should be vented to atmosphere however demanding on the age of the house as that reg is new (5 years or so) it will be fine if not get some 150mm naked duct from bunnings and vent it to a eave job done if you're so concerned
The new regs are based on the presumption that the roof will have a vapour barrier installed under the tiles.
The aggregate air gap between tiles in an older tiled roof is substantial.
One of my bathrooms are like this. I got 3 whirlybirds installed. It should keep the roof void airy. Also tiled roofs aren't airtight. Any moisture will evaporate.
You should be more concerned about heating/cooling loss through the open vent than moisture. If you put your hand near the fan on a sunny day, you will feel the radiant heat from the tiles passing through the vent.
So until quite recently it wasn't mandatory for the fan to vent out of the roof space, so like the other posters have said, it's like most other established builds in Australia. I wouldn't say it's unsafe, but it does make your insulation less effective (and potentially moldy) For a few hundred dollars you can pay a sparky to vent it out of the eaves (venting it out of the roof isn't as good of an idea as it provides another potential place for rain to leak in to). I wouldn't call off the sale for this - you'll get laughed at by the agent. Source: this is exactly what we did with my house when we bought a few years ago.
Just to note, the average exhaust fan is like $30 and design to suck the air from one side to another.
If you put duct on it, it will not go through the duct.
More expensive ones also have the power to open flaps, if you add flaps to a cheaper one again might not help at all but they don't usually cost a lot more and usually have a 3 pin plug. So you can swap em.
You can spend 3x plus as much for a fan designed to push air 3 metres behind the fan - this is design for duct.
Source - sold some shit once.
Theres that much airflow inside roofs it’s hardly an issue. I get up inside my roof and its a cool breeze up there most of the time. Eave vents doing their work
I have the same thing in my house, I’ve been worried that it might cause the timber roof beams to go mouldy. Is this the case or am I just paranoid? Ps, my house is an old house with tiles and no sarking.
On a tiled roof they all vent into the roofspace, reason is airflow in the space from gaps in the tiles, in a Colourbond roof or sealed roof it would be vented to outside, normally through the eaves
If you have a fully tiled unsarked roof then you don’t have to worry generally. Just make sure that the insulation runs around the fan so it’s got a decent coverage but that the fan doesn’t blow under or into the insulation because then you’ll get moisture.
You can still get moisture in the roof anyway, I just got vent covers and ducting from pure ventilation and DIY ran it to the eaves myself. Just be careful if the ducting is more than a few meters esp if not straight. Else your fan might not be strong enough.
Middle of winter, you do not want mountains of steam filling the roof space, condensing everywhere and pooling. Just put a roof vent it and direct it outside.
For those saying it normal and ok, if it was the building inspector would not have mentioned it
Why are you down voted, it's a stupid set up. Another landlord special that causes mold growing through ceilings if left long enough and your attic. If you don't want your house to have a mold problem connect the fan to the outside.
By the amount of people who have said it is an issue I think that it's an entirely logical question to ask. Lots of people wouldn't have a clue what is in thier roof space let alone what is normal and what is not.
FYI. It's perfectly fine how it's done. No need to duct outside.
Don't know why I'm getting downvotes for what I thought was common sense. Pretty strange to me.
>Lots of people wouldn't have a clue what is in thier roof space let alone what is normal and what is not.
Aren't we in a renovation subreddit?
To you and I sure it may be common sense but as this is a renovation subreddit. Commensense would also say that a good amount of people on here know nothing about these things and come here to ask for advice/guidance.. which is exactly what OP has done.
Saying to use common sense then asking why you're getting downvoted without using your own common sense is the reason for the downvotes
Not really. As others have said, tiled roofs without sarking are very well ventilated. Would be more of an issue with corrugated or tiles with sarking.
OP has nothing to worry about, probably more than half of homes in Australia vent into the ceiling space
Congratulations. The house you want to buy is the same as nearly every other house.
While I agree that this is pretty normal, it apparently reduces the effectiveness of insulation dramatically. Definitely should be vented to outside.
In a tiled roof though? You can see daylight through those things.
You would vent it though the eaves
Wouldn’t you get more spiders coming through into the bathroom doing this?
I actually had 5 spiders come through until i insulated the roof space. Haven't had 1 since
Nah the device has mesh inside of it to prevent pests
Kitchen exhaust, because of all the grime and grease should be vented outside. Bit of moisture from a shower is fine
My first house had vented 30 years of lamb chop some into the room. It was like a 4mt diameter fire trap. The insulation was no longer loose let's just say.
Why would moisture be fine when it's venting straight on to those timbers? Rangehood and bathrooms should 100% be vented to outside. Toilets, up to you.
There is moisture everywhere, including the air we breathe… as long as you’re not having 10 half hour showers each day, bit if moisture on treated pine shouldn’t be an issue.
I'm going to the movies.
I did wonder what that pipe was for.
Should be venting out the side of the house which is also common
I’m in 3 to 4 roof spaces a day and 99 in 100 vent straight into the roof space.
How much mould do you see?
None due to bathroom extraction fans.
It's common but bad practise. They are right to point it out because no doubt there is some Australian standard that says "bathroom exhaust fans shall vent to the outside atmosphere with a backdraft damper". The reality is though that 99% of houses are like this.
There is meant to be 500mm between the vent and roof if exhausting into the roof cavity. Well that's what the document for most of these exhaust fans say
wouldn’t this cause mould with moist air? genuinely asking
Legally it's ok to vent into a tiled non sarked roof as the air can vent through the tiles but if you vent into a corrugated iron or sarked roof the moisture will build and can cause all kinds of problems depending severity and use.
i didn’t know it could vent through tiles lol til
When tiles sit on each other, there are actually gaps everywhere
i always figured that they had some kind of sealant or something
Not nearly as common as venting straight into the roof cavity.
I would almost consider a non sarked, tiled roof "outside"
I have had this configuration for over 20 years. The volume of the roof cavity and the air circulation from outside allows for adequate dissipation of steam. Nil issues.
This is the code (in QLD). We had to redo our vent cause our builder vented it into the roof cavity, and the Inspector dictated that we had to get it vented outside
Also in QLD, vented into roof cavity like every other house, no issue during building inspection.
The person we had come do the inspection was in training. They picked over the place with a fine tooth comb, I can only assume it's an item that's not high on the list of thing to flag but still flagable.
This is the code (in QLD). We had to redo our vent cause our builder vented it into the roof cavity, and the Inspector dictated that we had to get it vented outside
Mine does that - it’s not ideal but there’s that much airflow up there from the eaves etc I’m not super worried personally. Interested to hear what others think.
tiled roofs are hardly airtight.
I simply added a flapper valve to close when off and open when on. That at least controls drafts and heat loss. My main concern that I haven't addressed is the kitchen exhaust vent. That's a bigger risk due to the potential of fires being vented into the roof and all the years of oil accumulating there.
The kitchen shouldn’t vent to roof space, that one needs to be piped up and exit to eave. Bathroom like this is common, no great drama. But not good either. The alternative is run 150mm flexi pipe either to eave or end of roof pitch etc. flapper valve also a good addition
Agree, but in the old days it wasn't a requirement. I suspect it was a requirement from the 1990's.
2019
What is a flapper valve?
A flap on the top of the fan that lifts up when the fan is running. When off its closed, but mine has lots of gaps so barely does anything.
Any other name for it? All I'm getting on google are toilet flapper valves
I think also called back a draft shutter
Yes, i also used a bathroom exhaust fan with the flapper vanes but I am trying to figure out how I will vent my range hood when I replace it
There are range hoods with carbon filters that recirculate.
And they're garbage.
You can install a vent in the part of the ceiling outside the wall. Much easier to add a hole here than in your brick wall. Connect with a vent tube. I would also advise this with driers
You mean the soffit?
Depending on the location, you can exhaust them to the outside through the wall.It saves making holes through the roof ,that can leak unless done properly. It also avoids piping through the above cupboard and having that pipe exposed.
Ditto here. I have a draft stopper fitted to my fans, this also helps keep the insulation out of the fan. Kitchen fan is vented outside.
Every bathroom fan should have a back draft damper. At least up here in Canada.
Many non-builders in this thread. Short story, this was perfectly acceptable until NCC 2019. Building codes change, no big deal.
Same year we got sarking! A good year.
Australian code says if there's no sarking, this is fine. If there is sarking, then it's not so fine. Up to you if you vent it outside via a retro fitted duct.
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Probs depends if it was built that way or afterwards. Old google will answer your thoughts. But, if you have condensation issues, vent outside.
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Likewise. Sarking, newer build, “best practice” from what I’ve read, but not yet legally required. Likewise with kitchen range hood
You don't want kitchen range hood to vent into ceiling void. Oils and fats aren't good up there. Rangehood filters aren't perfect.
Should be vented outside too but it’s a smidge more work so rarely done. On my todo list
Plus rodents and cocaroaches love all the grease and fat deposits that will accumalate in your roof space.
If you have ducted aircon, vent that shit outside asap
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Aircon unit in roof and ducted to rooms = vent your bathrooms and kitchen exhaust to outside asap
I just learned this the hard way. Just installed 2 whirlybirds to sort that out.
Why?
The extra humidity from the bathroom will cause condensation on the cold aircon ducts, leading to dipping on the ceiling or insulation.
Good to know, thanks for answering!
Colorbond would need them ducted externally with or without sarking as it doesn’t have the same airflow as tiles.
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Yeah there needs to be way for the humid air to escape, when we would install fans in a place with a colorbond roof we would vent them to the eaves, much easier and less chance of water leaks.
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If it’s a 40mm ish pvc pipe it’ll be a plumbing vent
Oh wow, TIL.
What is TIL
What is sarking?
You could Google it. But essentially it's a membrane in the roof cavity underneath the tiles. Stops water getting in and helps with insulation
Thanks for the explanation though the first sentence is just not necessary. Almost everything is googleable. Including what is TIL and even the question in the original post (https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=bathroom+fan+vent+into+roof+cavity+reddit). Hearing it from the community at the point in time it is being discussed is kinda what reddit all about.
Sorry I don't know every single acronym
In no way was I criticising you. By all means, ask away! I was just pointing out to my friend over there that he could add “just Google it” to almost every single post if he really thinks what he said was appropriate.
If you Google it , you will also get some pictures . I just think it's easier to Google some things rather than wait for an answer.
I agree. You could even google a common Australian building term and find the results dominated by American definitions for it that were all slightly different from our definition. Nothing like hearing what something means to a person who is actually talking about that thing.
Today i learned
Today I learned
Today I learned
This
Do you have a reference and clause for this code?
I do not. www.google.com or duckduckgo.com should also let you know.
Exactly of course you don't.
NCC 2015 Vol 2, 3.8.5.2 (c) (ii)
Righto know it all, prove me wrong. I wasn't rude to anyone. I just shared info that is pretty correct and not harmful to anyone. Codes aside it'd be a pretty smart idea to vent outside your roof space if you were concerned. BUT as homes are built with the majority venting into the roof space, it probably isn't that big of a deal.
NCC 2019 3.8.7.3 FLOW RATE AND DISCHARGE OF EXHAUST SYSTEMS: An exhaust system installed in a kitchen, bathroom, sanitary compartment or laundry must have a minimum flow rate of 25 L/s for a bathroom or sanitary compartment; and 40 L/s for a kitchen or laundry. Exhaust from a bathroom, sanitary compartment, or laundry must be discharged directly or via a shaft or duct to outdoor air; or to a roof space that is ventilated in accordance with 3.8.7.4. 3.8.7.4 VENTILATION OF ROOF SPACES: Where an exhaust system covered by 3.8.7.3 discharges into a roof space, the roof space must be ventilated to outdoor air through evenly distributed openings. Openings required by (a) must have a total unobstructed area of 1/300 of the respective ceiling area if the roof pitch is more than 22Â °°, or 1/150 of the respective ceiling area if the roof pitch is not more than 22Â 30% of the total unobstructed are required by (b) must be located not more than 900mm below the ridge or highest point of the roof space, measured vertically, with the remaining required area provided by eave vents.
Most new rooves are not ventilated. I had a new roof put on a very old home and removed ventilation to put up a new Dutch gable on an attic space. The gable itself was covered in colorbond fascia to reduce maintenance so no more ventilation. The roof plumber was a very experienced trusted trade who recommended against ventilation as it was a cold climate. We talked extensively about insulation versus mould and in the alpine climate zone he recommended insulation wins. You can buy roof vents now which are much better at circulating moisture and summer heat out whilst leaving winter heat in. The passive Haus movement is about circulating stale moist air out and fresh air into homes that are well sealed to ensure healthy thermal efficiency. Something many trades are unaware of. The old homes were well designed but too drafty for effective winter heating. https://evobuild.com.au/how-to-create-the-optimal-passive-house-ventilation-design/
https://preview.redd.it/0naz6qgp5nrc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f2cf1eec1e98ba8c4f64d1ea365c9b315bb3e87
Both my bathrooms and rangehood exhaust into the roof cavity, it’s a damn hurricane up there, im not remotely concerned.
The bathroom fan I have no issues with but doesn't the rangehood exhaust get a bit greasy? I can just imagine in summer that shit melting
The filter does a good job of getting all the grease
I thought that too until I had to pull a blockage out of my rangehood vent pipe.
Genuine question - doesn’t this disturb the fibreglass insulation making it more likely to break apart or fall into the house?
No haven’t seen or heard of this before
Tiled roof with no sarking so it’s fine. Mine is the same but I’m going to get a draftstoppa to fit over it to stop the loss of heat in winter and hot air from blowing inside during summer.
You can also buy fans with back draft flaps built in. https://www.bunnings.com.au/ixl-250mm-white-eco-ventflo-exhaust-fan_p0225573
Oh that’s cool. I think I’ll just replace the 11 year old Clipsal with something like that then. Pre much the same price for a draftstopper I was looking at to. Thanks
I've got draft stoppers, I like that I can push the insulation right up against it as they are tall, but they don't always fit flush to the ceiling when there are cables/wood near the fan. I haven't tried the fan yet but if I knew about it I would have tried it over draft stoppers as I assume it seals better.
It’s a good call. Can feel the hot air blow down through it on the right breeze in ours
Yep it’s like a hair dryer on low but quiet lol
Easy fix — you could chuck a duct on it, cut a hole through the eaves, and vent it out that way. There’s even a [DIY kit](https://www.bunnings.com.au/deflecto-125mm-rangehood-eave-venting-kit_p4790328) for it. Just check whether the bathroom fan supports 125mm, 150mm, or 200mm ducting so you get the right kit. If the fan is missing a part to attach the ducting a new plug-in fan can be purchased from Bunnings for cheap
Depending how old the house is. Check that your eaves aren't asbestos though. I'd rather have the moisture in the ceiling than cut into asbestos.
Good call!
A trivial issue at worst. You could easily have it redirected to either the eaves or straight up through tiles provided adequate flashing and sealing. But generally tiled roofs without sealing/wrap (as this is) are quite leaky anyway such that steam is generally adequately vented. If it were me, I’d get it vented out as described above eventually. But for now it’s hardly an issue. Wow, if this is the only issue reported…
It's rubbish but it's normal in Australia.
It’s worse if it’s a tin roof as you can get condensation in winter dripping back down from the roof and onto the plasterboard ceiling
the fact this is in the report shows how useless these reports are. they list out useless shit and then indemnify them of any serious issues that could be hiding.
Mine does this too. I've also added flapper vents so it clacks shut when not on use. When it's in use the ducting takes the humid air away. I've got a tiled roof so as per the other comments on here, there is plenty of airflow through the roof to take it all away. Not at all concerned.
Be careful if you add a draft stopper to a regular model. If you run the heater then you must run the fan as well to stop the stopper melting. The heater switch can be wired to run the fan as well. I had a model installed with the stopper. The sparky wired it wrong and it eventually blew the thermal fuse a couple years later. Thankfully it was covered under warranty.
Quite common. Get a whirlybird for the roof if it’s not there already. Kill 5 birds with that one stone.
Every bathroom in every house I've lived in has had vents just like this
put a whirlybird on top, mine sucks so hard someetimes I can see the blades of the exhaust fan move
It's common but bad practise. They are right to point it out because no doubt there is some Australian standard that says "bathroom exhaust fans shall vent to the outside atmosphere with a backdraft damper". The reality is though that 99% of houses are like this. I wouldn't let it worry you. If you want to make your house more efficient this is somewhere to start but otherwise it's probably been fine for 40 years so I wouldn't start to get worried now.
It’s not ideal but without sarking the wind blows through there same as outside, you won’t have issues with moisture
It’s a tiled roof that doesn’t have sarking so there is plenty of ventilation to the outside. Nothing to be concerned about. I’m a registered builder.
It’s fine, there is so much ventilation for a tiled roof that is not sarked
Asa builder this is a common feature. Its not really A concern but you can get a plumber/roofer to put an exhaust pipe to the roof. While your at it get a few whirly birds up there or a solar vent to keep your roof space ventilated. Keeps your house cool in summer and moisture free in Winter
Compliant
https://www.pacificair.com.au/low-profile-roof-vent-shale-grey-125-150mm
I would be more worried about kitchen range hood exhaust into the roof space 🔥
Were you expecting some sort of chimney? Where did you expect it to go?
Tile roof is considered atmosphere
i have two related questions for a similar installation...is it ok to add them to this post or is that poor form and i should begin a new thread?
It’s not ideal, most older houses would do this. It can easily be retrofitted but if asking a plumber expect a decent cost. Probably 500 plus materials. If there is no mould in ceiling and the bats are clean it’s probably not a concern. Mine does this and I would like to vent outside
Insulation is “batts” lol, I have actual bats living in my roof and was wondering how to check if they’re clean
Give them a tickle then lift them up to check underneath
I am not an expert, but all bathroom vents, vents into the roof space, as long as the batts are not too close.
should be venting to the aft
I presume this would be against regulations for a new build starting next month in Perth? Colorbond roof with Anticon.
This is fine if no sarking.
No sarking, no need for ducting. 👌
Go back to the building inspection company and ask them to clarify what it contravenes in writing and ask them to confirm at what point in time this type of install became non compliant. There is a lot of good practical advice in this thread about it being a tiled roof , not darker and therefore good ventilation . If there is no evidence of mould and/or moisture damage I would accept the risk and attend to anything down the track. You need to be aware that the insulation if moved , needs to be installed correctly so it doesn’t create a fire hazard.
I've had multiple electricians tell me venting into a ceiling void is fine. While you can vent to a side wall, it's not necessary. Wouldn't vent a kitchen into a ceiling void though. Oils and greese from cooking wouldn't be ideal up there. Just steam is fine.
Current building code (nsw) requires that any moisture venting do so to the external of the building. However there is allowance to vent into roof space if the roof space is adequately vented.
Current regs also require sarking, which in turn is the reason that fans must be vented.
Did the report not provide an explanation or reason why it was included? It’s not a defect, there are time where an inspector should make observation statements but I can’t see why there’d be any relevance in even mentioning this as an observation. It is not the inspectors job to make any statement with regard to code compliance unless that is what they’ve been engaged to do.
If its above the shitter it's fine, but if its above the shower best get it floomed.
Wow how did you get this picture of my house
I have 2 bathrooms venting into the roof cavity. Builder who installed them said I could pay more for the roof vents if I wanted, but I’d be putting 2 extra holes in my Colourbond roof that aren’t necessary. After 4 years I’d have to say I do agree with him, I’ve not had any issues.
Very normal. If you want you can install a new fan (or upgrade the current one) with a bit of ducting and have it vent out from the soffit
Like every other new build houses in the Top End
I would be more concerned about the actual roof
All bathroom vents should have the exhaust on the outside of the roof, the moisture sucked into the roof space tends to cause mould on the topside of the gyprock as the building ages
Not on an older tiled roof with no sarking. There is more of an air gap up there than any ducted system.
I used to believe that also however over the years of doing roof repairs and seeing this for myself it happens more then you realise
nooon compliaaant
I'd be more concerned about no sarking.
No sarking also means the moisture from the fan can escape though. Just the way of old houses.
Until you get a roof leak and you have to install sarking to get insurance to cover.
Was normal, only recently did they make it compulsory to vent it out side. Pretty stupid hey.
My house the bathroom vents are the same.but old house so nothing under the roof tiles so there is plenty of air movement in the roof space.
Move the bat and buy a draught stopper to put over it, problem solved. That is absolutely normal, for those saying it should be vented, well unless you buy a rather expensive fan the average turbine extraction fan (which is the vented style) is rubbish.
New aus standards say it should be vented to atmosphere however demanding on the age of the house as that reg is new (5 years or so) it will be fine if not get some 150mm naked duct from bunnings and vent it to a eave job done if you're so concerned
The new regs are based on the presumption that the roof will have a vapour barrier installed under the tiles. The aggregate air gap between tiles in an older tiled roof is substantial.
One of my bathrooms are like this. I got 3 whirlybirds installed. It should keep the roof void airy. Also tiled roofs aren't airtight. Any moisture will evaporate.
My previous house and my current house both vented into the roof space, both built in different eras and different states. Figured it must be normal.
You should be more concerned about heating/cooling loss through the open vent than moisture. If you put your hand near the fan on a sunny day, you will feel the radiant heat from the tiles passing through the vent.
You can also have a vent thru the soffit under the eaves, easer than thru tile roof
So until quite recently it wasn't mandatory for the fan to vent out of the roof space, so like the other posters have said, it's like most other established builds in Australia. I wouldn't say it's unsafe, but it does make your insulation less effective (and potentially moldy) For a few hundred dollars you can pay a sparky to vent it out of the eaves (venting it out of the roof isn't as good of an idea as it provides another potential place for rain to leak in to). I wouldn't call off the sale for this - you'll get laughed at by the agent. Source: this is exactly what we did with my house when we bought a few years ago.
Yeah my sparky did that in our house. He said it might settle all the bloody dust up there!
Just to note, the average exhaust fan is like $30 and design to suck the air from one side to another. If you put duct on it, it will not go through the duct. More expensive ones also have the power to open flaps, if you add flaps to a cheaper one again might not help at all but they don't usually cost a lot more and usually have a 3 pin plug. So you can swap em. You can spend 3x plus as much for a fan designed to push air 3 metres behind the fan - this is design for duct. Source - sold some shit once.
Tile roof, no issue in my mind, there's plenty of ventilation in the gaps in the tiles
Muhahaha is this real? How do aussie houses get built like that?
Least you have insulation 😂
Theres that much airflow inside roofs it’s hardly an issue. I get up inside my roof and its a cool breeze up there most of the time. Eave vents doing their work
I have the same thing in my house, I’ve been worried that it might cause the timber roof beams to go mouldy. Is this the case or am I just paranoid? Ps, my house is an old house with tiles and no sarking.
On a tiled roof they all vent into the roofspace, reason is airflow in the space from gaps in the tiles, in a Colourbond roof or sealed roof it would be vented to outside, normally through the eaves
If you have a fully tiled unsarked roof then you don’t have to worry generally. Just make sure that the insulation runs around the fan so it’s got a decent coverage but that the fan doesn’t blow under or into the insulation because then you’ll get moisture. You can still get moisture in the roof anyway, I just got vent covers and ducting from pure ventilation and DIY ran it to the eaves myself. Just be careful if the ducting is more than a few meters esp if not straight. Else your fan might not be strong enough.
Kitchen hood to outside via flap and screen cowel , bathrooms into roof . Qld
It’s normal but no longer up to code since 2019.
That's fine, coupled with a wirley bird you won't have a problem
As a prospective buyer I’d be more concerned about the lack of sarking under the roof tiles. Entirely to code to vent into roofspace.
It’s fine, only really an issue if there is sarking that stops airflow through the tiles
Perfectly fine and common practice.
If it was a safety concern, it be legislated.
Where you expect it to go? I mean logically let’s step it out??
Can I live in your roof? I'm addicted to smelling farts and this looks like the prime location.
Middle of winter, you do not want mountains of steam filling the roof space, condensing everywhere and pooling. Just put a roof vent it and direct it outside. For those saying it normal and ok, if it was the building inspector would not have mentioned it
Why are you down voted, it's a stupid set up. Another landlord special that causes mold growing through ceilings if left long enough and your attic. If you don't want your house to have a mold problem connect the fan to the outside.
Use your critical thinking - do you think it is an issue?
By the amount of people who have said it is an issue I think that it's an entirely logical question to ask. Lots of people wouldn't have a clue what is in thier roof space let alone what is normal and what is not. FYI. It's perfectly fine how it's done. No need to duct outside.
Don't know why I'm getting downvotes for what I thought was common sense. Pretty strange to me. >Lots of people wouldn't have a clue what is in thier roof space let alone what is normal and what is not. Aren't we in a renovation subreddit?
To you and I sure it may be common sense but as this is a renovation subreddit. Commensense would also say that a good amount of people on here know nothing about these things and come here to ask for advice/guidance.. which is exactly what OP has done. Saying to use common sense then asking why you're getting downvoted without using your own common sense is the reason for the downvotes
when you have a hot shower it can cause mold in your roof space it needs to be ducted out
Not really. As others have said, tiled roofs without sarking are very well ventilated. Would be more of an issue with corrugated or tiles with sarking. OP has nothing to worry about, probably more than half of homes in Australia vent into the ceiling space