"Had one tenant who kept disabling ours because it annoyed him during showers... ended up with mold behind the vanity. Lesson learned."
Yeah, tenants messing with humidity sensors is a classic headache—seen it more times than I'd like. Combo units are convenient, but I've found separate sensors and fans can sometimes give you more flexibility, especially if you're dealing with tricky bathroom layouts or picky occupants. Curious though, did you go for a quieter fan model? I've noticed tenants are less likely to disable them if they're not rattling like an old lawnmower every time they shower. Also, placement matters a lot—did you mount yours closer to the shower area or more centrally in the bathroom?
"I've noticed tenants are less likely to disable them if they're not rattling like an old lawnmower every time they shower."
Haha, exactly... learned that the hard way myself. Switched to a whisper-quiet model and placed it right above the shower—haven't had anyone mess with it since. Fingers crossed it stays that way.
Good call on the quiet fan. Had a client once who kept disabling theirs because it sounded like a jet engine—ended up with mold everywhere. Switched it out for a silent model, problem solved. Sounds like you're on the right track...
Silent fans are definitely a step up, but have you checked the airflow rating on yours? I've seen some ultra-quiet models that sacrifice proper ventilation just to keep noise down. Had a customer who thought they'd solved their noise issue, but ended up with condensation problems because the fan wasn't pulling enough moisture out. Maybe double-check the specs just to be safe... mold sneaks up quick if you're not careful.
"Had a customer who thought they'd solved their noise issue, but ended up with condensation problems because the fan wasn't pulling enough moisture out."
Yeah, had a similar issue at my place. Installed one of those whisper-quiet fans thinking it'd be perfect, but after a couple weeks noticed the mirror fogging up way more than usual. Ended up swapping it out for something with better airflow—bit louder, but at least no mold creeping in. Quiet's nice, but airflow matters more imo.
