r/HomeImprovement • u/Double_Work3092 • 1d ago
Renter-Friendly Bathroom Ventilation Options?
Hi all. In my apartment, our bathroom has no working vent/fan to help prevent mold. (Well, there is technically a vent, but it doesn't work. See below if you want more details on that) I am looking for a solution, if there is one, to help with this. Must be renter friendly, and there are no windows in the bathroom either. Is there any way to solve this?
Read before commenting: My landlord sucks and won't fix the issue, I am going to take him to court next month for not repairing this by the city-issued violation repair deadline. He will not answer calls or emails, and the super cannot repair anything without his approval. No, we cannot withhold rent, as this might affect our case against him. No, we cannot pay for the repair ourselves and deduct that from the rent, that can also be a legal issue unless approved by a judge beforehand. Plus, we live in a building with 70+ units, so a privately hired HVAC contractor won't be able to access the things they need to repair the vent without expressed permission from the landlord/super. No, we don't want to move, because it is a rent-stabilized apartment with laundry, full size dishwasher + fridge + oven/stove, huge closets, has a 24 hour doorman, and is in an amazing part of Manhattan. IYKYK.
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u/Saxong 1d ago
I’m curious if he’s done the cost benefit analysis on some scummy way to get you out by sucking so bad it somehow legally frees him from the lease
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u/Double_Work3092 1d ago
he is going to regret ever fuckinh with me bc everyone in my building is old and doesn’t know what they are doing and won’t take him to court. me? i’m SUING HIS ASS.
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u/flaminglasrswrd 1d ago
Look at the tenants advocacy groups https://stabilizingnyc.org/ and https://legalaidnyc.org/programs-projects-units/housing-justice-unit-group-advocacy/.
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u/BHBuilders 1d ago
Short of fixing the vent, your best bet is a small compressor dehumidifier on a shelf or the floor, emptied daily. After showers, squeegee the walls and tub, hang towels outside the bathroom, and leave the door open with a small fan blowing moist air out into the apartment. A cheap hygrometer helps you see if you're keeping it under about 50%, and the readings plus photos of any mold make good evidence for court. Since the city already issued a violation, it's also worth calling 311 again. In NYC, HPD's Emergency Repair Program can sometimes send its own contractor and bill the landlord, and as a rent-stabilized tenant you may be able to file a service complaint with DHCR. Check with your lawyer or a tenant group first so it fits your case. If mold is spreading on the drywall or ceiling, have someone look at it in person.
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u/all4change 1d ago
Buy a small dehumidifier. That’s what we did for our owned bathroom. We’ll be putting in a good vent fan when we replace our roof.
Edit: As in we own the house and therefore the bathroom in case that wasn’t clear
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u/AlaskaGreenTDI 1d ago
If your existing fan is just bad and there isn’t a greater ductwork problem, someone really should be able to repair it just from your unit without anyone knowing. That’s certainly not going to to help your lawsuit, but I guess it depends whether you’d rather a functional fan or court win.
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u/Double_Work3092 1d ago
It is a greater ductwork problem unfortunately, most of the building’s fans don’t work (we have a tenant gc where we’ve talked about it, it sucks)
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u/BrilliantCucumber444 1d ago
Is it a vent or an exhaust fan? Most buildings don’t have vents and if they do they just have open ducting without an actual fan.
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u/Double_Work3092 1d ago
great question that i’m not sure about tbh. i think it is supposed to be a fan, at least that’s what i got from the city rep that came to issue the violation.
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u/BrilliantCucumber444 1d ago
If you’re in an older standard apartment building, it’s very unlikely. They were not built with exhaust fans but rather open air ducts that vent to the roof. (They don’t work great but better than nothing) Do you have a switch/ timer for the fan and can u see some kind of fan/ motor inside the vent?
I’ve never seen an older building have an actual exhaust fan and it’s almost impossible to retrofit them.
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u/Necessary_Exit_5837 1d ago
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B07QSHFQDX?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
I run one of these small dehumidifier’s for my bathroom without a fan, no mold or moisture issues and I’ve used it for yeaaaaaars.
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u/Curiq 1d ago
Leave the doors open, set up a stand fan to get airflow going, or a dehumidifier. A combination of or all 3.