Steam Free Mirrors

[Alex Hunt]

We are in the middle of an eco renovation in Brighton - see our blog - http://www.brightgreenhomes.co.uk/wp/?page_id=244 - for more details.

We have a very committed client who is interested in the principles of environmental design, but they do also want some of the creature comforts of modern living - and one of these is a large steam free mirror in the main bathroom downstairs. My issue is that the only way of doing this as I am aware is with an electrical heating pad. As we are trying to reduce electricity use to a bare minimum in the property (more natural light, LEDs, low energy appliances etc.) it seems incongruous to then use electricity to get rid of steam on a mirror?

Are there any alternatives?

Thanks - Alex

[Peter Bayer]

Alex

Do mirrors steam up in well insulated bathrooms?In a well insulated house the walls will tend to be at a steady room temperature and the mirror will be at the same temperature as the walls.
In my own ( warm ) bathroom the mirror which is on an internal wall never steams up, the wc cistern on the other hand is sopping wet after every shower.

Peter

[Kate de S]

Alex -- just to point out that Paul Marriott has posted a reply as well, on the general public board, see http://www.aecb.net/forum/index.php/topic,2890.0.html

[Mark Siddall]

Building upon Paul Marriots theme do designing to avoid reaching dew point of the mirror it strikes me that the issue is the shower and the humidity that it generates.  In essence if you can prevent the humidity from getting to the mirror in the first place you don't need to heat the mirror at all. One design solution was found here http://www.sunfrost.com/efficient_shower.html

As you house is well insulated you may not get wrapped up in the emprical research/debate that John Cantor has undertaken whislt thinking about shower cubicles: http://www.aecb.net/forum/index.php/topic,1735.msg11282.html#msg11282

Cheers,
Mark

[Nick Grant]

Paul's idea is ingenious and I was about to chip it then thought, has our mirror ever steamed up? I don't think it has.

Perhaps smaller bathroom might be more of a problem, thinking of cheap hotels with tiny bathroom- warm but steam up easy.

Obviously 'steaming up' can happen above the assumed dew point as when we breathe onto glasses to clean them.

Nick

[Andy Simmonds]

Lots of hot steamy baths - no steaming up of mirror. Been told by electrician that a bathroom light (glass shade) is not suitable for bathroom as may get condensation forming on it, er no. However, some steaming up of mirror when long hot shower had. Lasts a short time - I haven't timed it 

Is this important?

[Rob Rickey]

Howard Liddle (see his book Ecominimalism) contends that using clay plaster in a bathroom will prevent mirror steaming. I haven't tried it yet, but it might be worth a punt - clay is also an absorber of pollutants so can't be bad.

[fostertom]

Don't see to get it in this cob farmhouse's bathroom without ex fan - tho gappy window

[Alex Hunt]

thanks all!

As it turned out with a little gentle persuasion the client was convinced not to go down the electricity route - I'll let you know if they have a problem with steam after our 3 months retention.

Thanks again for your input and I will think about the clever idea of pipes behind the mirror for the next job!

Alex