Hi,

I'm looking for some advice, hope this is the right place ;O)

I have recently bought an old pre 1930's bungalow with nine inch solid brick
walls and an appalling condensation /mildew problem due mainly to the fact
that what with double glazing which has no vents or night latch,
draughtproofing and oil as the only heat source, the place is vacuum packed!

I understand from reading this group on deja that leaving my heating on 24-7
is the best
way to prevent the condensation but thats just not affordable in the long
run. At the moment
I am using 500 litres every six weeks or so and thats running it at 65
degrees in the evening only.

I have the place as well insulated as possible and even priced inner
insulation for the outer walls using a polyurethane
sheeting faced with plasterboard and that worked out at over £500 per wall!
Multiply that by ten walls and its
just insane!

Anyway...getting to my point.

I want to build on an external chimney and install an open solid fuel
(coal) fire with an all night burner which will keep it ticking over all
night.
What I am wondering is, will this help with the condensation
problem by giving the moist air an escape route, or will it make it worse?

Hope someone out there can help.

Thanks
Susan :O)

susanskelton wrote in message ...
I have recently bought an old pre 1930's bungalow with nine inch solid
brick
walls and an appalling condensation /mildew problem due mainly to the fact
that
How do you know what the cause is? You may well be right, or it may be a
contributory factor, but don't pre-judge the issue. You are unlikely to
suffer condensation if the heating operates morning and evening, and the
damp may be coming through the walls from outside. Is it worse on one side
of the house or the same all over?
what with double glazing which has no vents or night latch,
draughtproofing and oil as the only heat source, the place is vacuum
packed!
If the place were that tightly sealed, your heating bills shouldn't be high.
I think for starters you need to find out where you're losing all this heat.
Is the loft/roof insulated?

"susanskelton" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm looking for some advice, hope this is the right place ;O)

I have recently bought an old pre 1930's bungalow with nine inch solid
brick
walls and an appalling condensation /mildew problem due mainly to the fact
that what with double glazing which has no vents or
snipped
Hope someone out there can help.

Thanks
Susan :O)



You must allow air in, for it to get back out, or you will really be living
in a vacuum packed house. Keep cold air in takes way down low to the floor,
and hot exhaust gasses way up high above the roof. Doing that causes the
air to circulate around the house and draw any excessive moisture and dust
out the forced flue of the chimney.

Any sealed room with a heater is a potential death trap because of carbon
by-products, and not only from the heaters but from people breathing, so
please allow an air circulation path if you're thinking of using any
heaters, especially solid or fossil fuels.


---
http://www.basecuritysystems.no-ip.com

Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.560 / Virus Database: 352 - Release Date: 08/01/04