I’ve shaved a few bathroom doors for airflow and honestly, didn’t notice much of a draft unless the fan was running nonstop. If you’re worried about heat loss, maybe try a draft stopper for winter? Curious if anyone’s tried those automatic door sweeps that drop down when the door closes...
I’ve actually specified those automatic door sweeps for a couple of clients, mostly in older homes where the bathroom doors are original and there’s a real concern about drafts. They’re clever in theory—drop down when the door closes, seal the gap, then retract when you open it. But honestly, I’ve found them to be a bit hit or miss. The installation has to be spot-on or they drag and get annoying fast. Plus, if your floor isn’t perfectly level, they can leave gaps anyway.
From a design perspective, I’m a bigger fan of just leaving a small gap under the door for airflow, especially if you’ve got a decent exhaust fan. It’s not the prettiest solution, but it’s practical. Mold hates moving air, and that little bit of circulation can make a big difference. I get the concern about heat loss, but in most bathrooms, the amount of air escaping under the door is pretty minimal compared to, say, a leaky window.
Draft stoppers are great for winter, but they’re a pain if you want to keep the air moving after a steamy shower. I’ve seen people use those fabric snakes and then forget to move them, so the bathroom ends up stuffy and damp. Not ideal.
If you’re really worried about mold, I’d focus more on making sure your fan is powerful enough and actually gets used. I know a lot of people who have fans that are basically just decorative at this point. And if you’re feeling lazy (which, let’s be real, most of us are when it comes to bathroom maintenance), just leaving the door cracked open after a shower does wonders. Not glamorous, but it works.
Curious if anyone’s found a door sweep that doesn’t make noise or get stuck, though. I haven’t seen one yet that’s truly seamless.
I get the logic behind leaving a gap for airflow, but in my old house, that “small gap” is more like a canyon thanks to some historic settling.
True, but I swear the drafts in winter are enough to make me consider showering in a parka. I actually tried one of those magnetic door sweeps once—looked promising, but it sounded like a haunted house every time I closed the door. In the end, I just put up with the draft and run the fan religiously. Not perfect, but at least my towels don’t freeze... most days.“Mold hates moving air, and that little bit of circulation can make a big difference.”
That drafty gap sounds brutal in winter. I had a rental once where the bathroom door didn’t even reach the floor—felt like a wind tunnel every morning. Have you ever looked into those automatic door bottoms? They drop down when the door closes, so you get a seal without the haunted house effect. Curious if anyone’s tried them in an older place with uneven floors...
Automatic door bottoms sound clever, but I’ve always wondered if they’d even work in my place. The floors are so wavy, there’s like a half-inch difference from one end of the door to the other. I tried one of those stick-on foam strips once and it just got chewed up by the uneven gap. Honestly, I kind of like a little airflow in the bathroom—helps with all the steam after showers. Maybe sealing it up too much could make mold worse? Or am I just making excuses for not fixing it...
