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simonjulie

Hi All
We were doing a routine inspection on a property today and were left a small list of repairsby the tenant.
All the items on the list were fine with the exception of this one.

"The mirrors in the bathroom and ensuite fog up"

"What The!"

Kind regards
Simon
PS Both rooms are fitted with exaust fans and windows that can easily be opened.
 
Hi Alan
I saw on a homeshow once that rubbing a bar of soap over the mirror can stop a mirror from fogging up.
I passed that one on through my property manager.
It might stop the fog but I wonder about the quality of reflection.
Kind regards
Simon
 
Howdy there,

I'd get them to use the fan... problem solved... if they refuse to use the fan, I'd get an electrician to wire up the fan with the light, so when they switch on the light the fan will work ;)

Also, if it still fogs up with the fan on, get them a bottle of the anti-fog liquid sold in auto-shops (or auto sections of Kmart, etc.)... they do work very well... cost per bottle is around $10...

Cheers,

Manuel.
 
Despite this being a stupid complaint, Mannys' suggestion is a very valid one. An extraction fan removes the damp air and thus prevents mold. It'll probably be worth it in the long run.

A basic fan and instillation will cost about $100 and takes about 10 minutes. Dealing with a significant mould problem can cost $100 for the paint, plus lots more for removal/repairs of the problem and several days to repair. The total cost of repairs could be in the $1000s.

All of our IP bathrooms have extraction fans. If we had to install them, they were wired into the light switch.
 
Hi PT Bear,

It sounded to me like he said he had fans in both the bathroom and the ensuite, it was more an issue of getting them to use them. Wiring them up to the light sounds like a decent idea. Encouraging them to open the window would help too.

-Regards

Dave
 
Hi

I recently bought a 'motor-less' fan from Bunnings.

It has a relatively small diameter, so the hole in the ceiling should fit between most joists.

It has a 'crown', like the crown of a hat, with insect mesh top and bottom, and a fan mounted in this space.

The theory is, as the hot air rises, it causes the impellers to turn, thus causing an accelerated updraft. And because it has no motor, there is nothing to turn on, but more importantly, nothing to turn off, so although the bathroom may be a little less cosy it will not retain the damp air from the shower or the bath.

This cost about $35 and should be much more efficient than a simple grill type fitting which no body cleans, and after a while the efficiency is minimised due to fluff on the grill.

Cheers

Kristine
 
Hi Kristine,

Do those motorless fans come with your recommendation? :p

And how often do you (or think you) have to clean the grill?

-Cheers

Dave
 
Hi Kristine

We had a motorless fan in own ensuite over a large shower recess- maybe not the same brand as the one you talk about but I can't recommend it - we ended up replacing it with an electric one. It just didn't move the steam quickly enough and spots of mould appeared. Recently tarted up an IP and installed electric one with the light switch (about $32 plus sparky who was doing other stuff- guarantees the tenant will use it. There had been a serious mould problem before. I never cease to be amazed at what tenants can complain about. Sounds like the property is in pretty good shape if that was a problem! A raw cut potato rubbed on the mirror is supposed to be good too. Anyone for fish and chips?:D
 
Thanks all
The reason I posted this was not so much to solve the problem but more for the entertainment value.
Has anyone had any similar unusual requests from tenants?
Simon
 
My most recent callout was to fix a light fitting. The tenant complained that the light bulb he put in didn't work, so there had to be something wrong with the light.

He had tried to fix a bayonet bulb into a screw socket. It took a lot of fiddling to get it out.

This tenant has made a few silly maintenance requests. I usually don't mind as they take great care of the property, they really love living there, they pay top rent and I get to do a personal inspection.
 
What happens in a well-lit bathroom where the light isn't always turned on when a bath or shower takes place?

How about wiring the fan to the hot water tap (shower/bath).....

Cheers,

Aceyducey
 
Kev, boarding the windows would make the room illegal.

instread, simply remove the mirrors - it could even become a positive for those with body image issues!

Cheers,

Aceyducey
 
Hi Kev

You sure it was the mirrors that were fogged, and not the tenant??? Funny cigarettes can have that effect.

Les, i think you had better just "reflect" on that statement.

And Mitzi. Memories, Memories, of saturday nights at the drive-in, and potatoes were used to make the rain run off the windscreen. It worked fine, but still had that damn fogging problem inside.
Too much heavy breathing I think. As I said, just memories.

And if you have to asked why would I go to the drive-in if it was raining, ask my eldest son. I'm sure he was conceived in the back of my EH.:p

Garry
 
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