"Pet @ www.gymratz.co.uk" wrote in message
...
BigWallop wrote:

You should already have air bricks in the outer skin of the house walls.
These
air bricks allow air to circulate under the floor spaces and things to keep
them
from becoming to dry and rotten. If the old chimney is already sucking with
all
the windows and doors closed, then air must already be getting in to the
house
from somewhere, or you'd all be choking for breath with the air being sucked
out
and none getting in.

There are no air bricks as the house is built into a hill, so ground
floor bedrooms/bathrooms are solid floor.
There is the obglitary "vents" in the top od the UPVC patio doors in the
master bedroom, but there is so much air routed through the vent the
bedrrom floor becomes icy cold. The only othe vent downstairs is the
extractor fan in the bathroom which struggles to suck anything when the
chimney is trying to take away our breath.
:¬)

Oh, and at the moment there is no loft hatch so there's the only other
vent which will in time become pretty much sealed.
The draw on the chimney makes the vented bedroom bang with each gust, so
air changes are based around one very direct pathway through the bedroom
and along the hall the oop 't chimney.

(if that all makes sense)

Why do you think you need some extra ventilation? Are you feeling symptoms
of
drowsiness or headaches when your sitting about relaxing in your underwear?

No, just a damp problem that required (in the past when we were living
there) a dehumidifier to be running most days.

Oh, there is a kitchen extrator hood and will be a new vent in the
upstairs shower room for extractor fan, so a couple of small vents to
the upstairs living area.



So all you really have is a load of air extraction systems and no air intakes.
Boy, are you asking for trouble. :-)

It would be best to install a couple of high level air inlet points on your
downstairs floor. Keep them up near to the ceiling height so they don't suck
cold air in at floor level and have your feet freezing in the winter months.

They should be large enough to allow enough air in to the building for good air
change rates, about two or three per hour for cosy living areas, but small
enough not to allow to much cold air in to the place and drag out all your
heating.

With new air intakes on an open side of the house, and the natural chimney
effect from the old flue, you should then have a comfortable living area that
stops you feeling drowsy and too cold.