How a Bathroom Fan Caused Mold in a Vancouver Home – Featured Inspection

This townhouse inspection in Vancouver was in a newer development, and the unit was occupied by a large family. It was also home to one of the worst cases of mold growth I’ve ever come across.

As soon as I arrived I noticed the moisture on the inside of the windows – a warning sign of poor ventilation.

The bathroom fans in these units are controlled by a timer, located in the bedroom closet. The building code, at the time the building was constructed, required one exhaust fan to run for at least 8 hours a day. This is important – newer buildings are more air-tight, and require mechanical ventilation to prevent humidity buildup. The timer switch was hidden behind some items in the closet, and it was turned off. Apparently the family never ran the fan during showers, either:

A bathroom fan timer can often be found in a closet or laundry room.

Condensation and humidity levels in the home were very high, and mold growth was found on the walls and windows. Thermal imaging (below) showed extreme levels of condensation at the colder exterior walls.

This bay window was soaked with water and growing black mold.

There was a closet located right next to the washroom, which is a bad design to begin with – We pulled one suit jacket from the closet, and this is what it looked like:

That white powder was thick mold growth, which covered most of the clothes in the closet, and several pillows, blankets and the carpet.

The owners had to perform a full mold remediation of the home, and dispose of many personal belongings. They also had to remove and replace some affected drywall.

Always run your bathroom fan according to the builder’s directions!

Call Today to Book Your Home Inspection – 604 395-2795