Ventillation

[NozSpark]

I've just been to see a job where they suffer from damp around the windows.... I know that this is because this is a cold spot and they've had damp specialists in who have said that they should have a humidistat fan fitted.

Now, this is not quite as simple as they may suggest.... the house is stone built with 30" thick walls so an impossibility to core so I'll have to get a window mounted fan.

My thought is that as the room doesn't feel overly humid that they might be better off with a constant running extractor fan with a low trickle speed and a boost for when they are cooking or doing anything else that could create steam.

As an aside I've already advised that they replace their room vented tumble dryer for a condensing dryer......

 

[ProDave]

Why do the "experts" recommend "solutions" when the obvious solution is get rid of the source of the moisture, the tumble dryer.

I have had the same with tenants before, condensation running down the walls, change tenant and no further problem.

If they are going to persist venting the TD into the room, then accompany it with a dehumidifier.

 

[Blue Duck]

Dehumidifiers are my Mrs's solution. **** getting me to take an saturday afternoon off child duty when you can buy a dehumidifier that's happily burning electricity all day long.

Humidistat fan may be on forever if the problem is that bad and It will be annoying and it will be switched off.

Much better to have a trickle fan with boost!

 

[Phoenix]

No. 1 thing to do is to have them address any lifestyle issues that are having a big effect on condensation... The tumble drier venting into the room is the obvious one (can it be vented outside?) But suggest avoiding... drying washing on radiators, leaving bathroom window shut when taking a shower... having the heating cause large swings in temperature (leave it on lower and for much longer), etc

No. 2 Is to address insulation issues.... if this is a solid stone properly, and its condensing on the walls around the windows, there is not a lot that can really be done easily. If it is condensing on the window and making the whole area wet, then a window vac used in the morning can reduce the amount of water a lot

No.3 Ventilation.... Might we worth looking at PIV... positive input ventilation. Its a filtered fan that forces dry air from the loft into the house slowly, all the damp air leaves through the gaps you naturally get in older buildings

 

[loonytoon]

Is core cutting through a 30" thick wall really not a solution?

Just thinking of Hatton Garden.

 

[steptoe]

I'll do you a Envirovent humidistat fan and window kit at a good price,    

 

[kerching]

Is core cutting through a 30" thick wall really not a solution?

Just thinking of Hatton Garden.

They had more to gain though!

Probably sweating like Rolf Harris, Stuart Hall and Max Clifford now

Plus one to,the Environvent PIV unit...well impressed!

Fecking expensive though.....and wait until,you see the price of the replacement filters!

 

[steptoe]

Ye, I've fitted hundreds of posiflow systems on social housing, great good, but, as above, the price will have you on your knees,,,, 

 

[Phoenix]

I was looking at the Nuaire Drimaster. Didn't seem too bad on filters to me. £30 something for a set that lasts between 3 and 5 years :S

 

[kerching]

The environvent filter was about same price...3 year life...cost of materials?.....about 5p

Just glad customer was paying

 

[NozSpark]

No. 1 thing to do is to have them address any lifestyle issues that are having a big effect on condensation... The tumble drier venting into the room is the obvious one (can it be vented outside?) But suggest avoiding... drying washing on radiators, leaving bathroom window shut when taking a shower... having the heating cause large swings in temperature (leave it on lower and for much longer), etc

No. 2 Is to address insulation issues.... if this is a solid stone properly, and its condensing on the walls around the windows, there is not a lot that can really be done easily. If it is condensing on the window and making the whole area wet, then a window vac used in the morning can reduce the amount of water a lot

No.3 Ventilation.... Might we worth looking at PIV... positive input ventilation. Its a filtered fan that forces dry air from the loft into the house slowly, all the damp air leaves through the gaps you naturally get in older buildings

1. These are being addressed... they are replacing the vented dryer for a condensing one

2. They only have 1 window/wall with damp issues,,, mainly the return to the window frame...windows are double glazed units

3. PIV... again they only have damp in one area... if they had damp in other areas PIV might be worth a try

Is core cutting through a 30" thick wall really not a solution?

Just thinking of Hatton Garden.

Coring 30" through brick, block or concrete wouldn't be too much of a problem,,, but through a stone wall with lime mortar and made of god knows what randomly sized stone and infill is not going to happen.... unless you want to sub it???.... I'll pay you £100 but there must be no damage to the internal plaster or external render (at all!!)

 

[Evans Electric]

We used a firm called Diamond Drilling years back ,  must be plenty about now if its an option .  Walls same thickness at the Children's Hospital , needed to get 2"  trunking through so they drilled some 4" holes , quietly .

 

[binky]

you can't diamond drill these sorts of walls, you can start / finish the hole with acore drill to keep  a neatish finish, but all that tends to happen is bits of stone constantly fall back into the hole, so SDS and pointy bit, remove stones inside the hole and insert section of drainpipe and a lot of cement afterwards.

Positive pressure fan may work for these people, or a house ventilation type fan, so that there is a constant extraction but not constant heat loss. Might sound daft, but a fire such as wood or coal, ideally a log burner is probably the best option as this constantly draws air through the house, and provides dry heat and a nice view!

 

[NozSpark]

The only way that I'd consider drilling this would be if it could be injected with a slurry mortar to stabalise it first

 

[binky]

the issue I've found is disimilar lumps of stone. In my neck of the woods you'll get slate, quartz and granite in the same wall. The differring hardness buggers up the core drill, and then because the old mortar is basically crumbling the stones all rattle around anyway.

I normally pilot drill through the wall, then core drill about 100/150mm each side, then see what hell happens next. It's not hard to patch up the cavities once through the wall.

 

[NozSpark]

I'm pricing it on a thru window dual speed fan...... I'm not getting into scoring it

Typical stone walls around here are mostly limestone of various sizes from the size of a fist to the size of a large microwave held together with mostly hope and gravity