Keeping a Mirror Free of Condensation
Introduction
If you have even taken a bath or shower or even just turned on the hot water tap to wash your face or shave and then looked (or at least, tried to look) in your bathroom mirror, you may appreciate what a nuisance a permanently steamed up mirror can be. Even excellent ventilation in a bathroom, especially a small bathroom, is not an answer because the combination of heat and humidity conspire to obscure your reflection from view. So, if you want to style your hair or apply your make-up in a hurry, you may be looking for a simple, inexpensive solution that allows you to see yourself in a mirror, regardless of the conditions in your bathroom.
What are Mirror Demisters & How Do They Work?
The running of a shower or bath obviously creates warmth and humidity in a bathroom, and because a traditional bathroom mirror is typically at a lower temperature than the surrounding air, water vapour from the air condenses on the glass causing a misting effect. If the temperature of the mirror surface is raised, even just slightly, within a few minutes it will be not only be warm and dry but free from condensation, even if you have literally just stepped out of the shower.
Mirror demisters are low-powered heaters typically attached to the 240-volt, AC, domestic supply via a 5 amp fuse way which maintain mirrors at temperatures just high enough to prevent them from steaming up. Typically, a heat resistant wire is embedded in a fabric mesh, itself positioned between layers of synthetic felt and foil, such that heat is distributed evenly across the surface of a mirror.
Mirror demisters are typically in the form of slim line, self-adhesive pads that can be affixed simply and unobtrusively to the rear of a mirror either, singly or in combination (for large mirrors) to add a touch of luxury to any bathroom. Mirror demisters are nevertheless, resistant to moisture, dust, and vibration and should provide reliable maintenance-free operation for many years to come.
Installation & Care of Mirror Demisters
Mirror demisters are very easy to install. In most cases attachment to the back of any standard or safety-backed mirror is simply a question of peeling back the protective backing paper from the self-adhesive surface and positioning the demister appropriately to the rear of the mirror. The back of the mirror should of course be clean and free from grease or other residues. A border of 10mm or so should be left at the edges of the mirror. Care should be taken that mechanical fixings used to hang or position mirrors do not touch or pierce the surfaces of mirror demisters and stress due to over tightening of fixings should also be avoided. Mirror demisters by definition cause heating and cooling of mirrors and expansion and contraction is associated with these processes, so mirrors should be allowed a degree of movement or flexibility by using clips, flexible adhesive, or screws equipped with rubber ferrules.
The electrical installation of mirror demisters is slightly more involved and should be performed by a properly qualified electrician, in accordance with Building Regulations or BS7671. Mirror demisters can be connected to the domestic mains supply via an existing lighting circuit and switch, or, via a separate circuit and switch protected by its own 5-amp fuse or circuit breaker in the consumer unit. If multiple mirror demisters are to be installed this should be done in parallel not in series and the overall power rating of the circuit should be checked to prevent overloading a lighting or similar circuit. Many mirror demisters are supplied with power cables that are sufficiently long for any application, however if you do need to extend a cable, make sure that the extension is of an equivalent power rating to the original.
Running Costs of Mirror Demisters
Mirror demisters are devices that are unlikely to be used for long periods but even based on typical usage of 7 hours per week, that is 1 hour per day, probably more than adequate for most households, running costs are almost negligible at just a few pence per week (less than that of an incandescent light bulb). If a mirror demister is left on by mistake the low temperature nature of the heating typically to a maximum of 45°C or 50°C, means that the surface of a mirror does not reach an unsafe temperature or unduly waste energy resources. So, for an affordable initial cost and minimal ongoing costs, mirror demisters can save you the time spent waiting for mirrors to demist, the smearing and subsequent cleaning associated with condensation, and may ultimately prolong the life of a mirror.
Further mirror demisters Information
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