LESLIE: Now we’re heading to North Carolina where Fred is on the line with a humidity problem. How can we help you?
FRED: I’ve got two daughters who, I think, live in our bathroom. Constantly taking showers, which is, I guess, a good problem to have. But I’m starting to smell mold and stuff in the house. I think it’s tied to that. And before I even get into it, I figured I’d do the smart thing and call you guys.
TOM: Well, bathrooms are sources of enormous humidity during those showers – extended showers. Do you have a bathroom fan? Do you have a ceiling fan?
FRED: I do but it’s ancient.
TOM: OK. Well, it should still work even if it’s ancient. So, here’s a couple of things that you can do. First of all, make sure it’s working, make sure it’s vented outside. That’s important.
Secondly, it’s a good idea to run it for a good 10 or 15 minutes after the shower is completed and after you leave the room. There’s actually a switch that can do that for you – the Leviton Humidity Sensor and Fan Control. And essentially, the way it works is it does just that: it senses the humidity level inside the room and will automatically turn it off when the humidity goes down. Because if you can reduce the amount of moisture staying in the bathroom, you’ll dramatically reduce the amount of mold growth that you’re getting on tile and other places.
So, I would suggest that you check the exhaust fan to make sure it’s functional and operational, that you replace the light switch or the fan switch with the humidity sensor and fan control from Leviton. And then give your bathroom a good cleaning to get rid of all the mold that might be there now. And I think you’ll see a dramatic difference because without that moisture sitting around for those long periods of time, you’re just not going to have the same issues.
LESLIE: And you know what, Fred? If this is a project you want to tackle yourself but you’re a little unsure, if you head on over to Leviton’s website, right on the page with the humidity sensor and fan control you’ll find an installation video that’ll talk you right through it.
FRED: Ah, OK. That’s why I called the experts.
TOM: Alright. Well, good luck with that project.
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