Improving / heating ventilation in a bungalow

[midlandslandlord]

I'm after some advice on condensation in a well-insulated partly double-glazed bungalow. A fairly standard event, resulting from current T spending time away from the property at parents, and it not being thoroughly heated through constantly enough. Heating is night storage heaters.

The symptom is a few mould spot and the skim coat lifting under wallpaper in one two places. This after redecoration and a couple of new ceilings after a water leak last winter (which won't have helped).

Obviously we need better ventilation, and possibly heating improvements.

The plot is likely to go for redevelopment in the next 2-7 years, and it has no gas supply, so fgch is not on.

For ventilation, we are thinking about a permanent low speed quiet fan which drives air from the loft into the house, set in the hall ceiling. I can see the sense of that, in that air coming in is warmer than that would come directly from outside and moisture is being driven out via airbricks etc. The installed price is suggested to be £300-400 ukp.

We also need to do something with the heating; it has been suggested by our architect that we consider 'gel' (I assume that that means phase-change?) type wall 'storage' heaters with a daytime top up facility. I'm *very* sceptical about that, and am more tempted to replace a couple of our oldest storage heaters - perhaps with newish 2nd hand units - and supply an electrical fire.

I think that the best plan will be to do the ventilation, and plan the heating but wait for new T to arrive (in case of a grant).

Any thoughts, experiences, or suggestions?

ML

[JK0]

I don't think the storage heaters are a problem. Even ancient ones are very good at maintaining a background warmth in a structure. Is it possible your tenant switches them off when he is away? Was that why there was the water leak? He will be even less likely to leave them on if he knows they are also consuming day rate electricity.

I would fit one of these fans in the bathroom if possible: (Make sure it cannot be switched off)

http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/xpelair-premier-cf20t-1937-16394

Also, if you have trickle vents on the windows, take them apart and confiscate the shutters.

[midlandslandlord]

I don't think the storage heaters are a problem. Even ancient ones are very good at maintaining a background warmth in a structure. Is it possible your tenant switches them off when he is away? Was that why there was the water leak? He will be even less likely to leave them on if he knows they are also consuming day rate electricity.

I would fit one of these fans in the bathroom if possible: (Make sure it cannot be switched off)

http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/xpelair-premier-cf20t-1937-16394

Also, if you have trickle vents on the windows, take them apart and confiscate the shutters.

Thanks.

ML

[grouse]

We had these installed in place of storage heater. The look and work just like a normal water filled radiator and use a programmer like a normal heating system.

http://www.intheatingsystems.co.uk/

We also fitted a positive flow fan in a different property to combat condensation, The incoming air is pre-heated to 18 degrees I think. It works very well and we have had no problems since fitting 2 years ago.
This isn't the company we used but is similar

http://www.nuaire.co.uk/product/piv

I would agree with removing the shutters from the trickle vents.

[midlandslandlord]

Just put dehimidifier in and heating on.

Relative Humidity is 75%. Ouch.

Set my asthma off.

ML

[midlandslandlord]

We had these installed in place of storage heater. The look and work just like a normal water filled radiator and use a programmer like a normal heating system.

http://www.intheatingsystems.co.uk/

I've been looking into these for a couple of days, and the marketing seems to be thoroughly misleading for all the companies I have looked at.

They set themselves up as an alternative to storage heaters based on price, but there are so many assumptions that the comparison is meaningless imo, and can tip the other way with only slight adjustments.

Now I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole except for certain situations, such as one radiator for topup heat, or in an ultra-insulated building (so that use is minimal anyway) with insulation inside the structure so that the environment responds quickly with minimal structural storage, which probably means timber frame or some kinds of SIPs. Or if I knew that the people were going to be on a 'peaky' lifestyle.

Prices imply that if one goes for a storage heater with included radiant panel instead from eg Dimplex, you almost get the storage heater for free.

That may change depending on the E7 vs Peak price comparison.


We also fitted a positive flow fan in a different property to combat condensation, The incoming air is pre-heated to 18 degrees I think. It works very well and we have had no problems since fitting 2 years ago.

Yes - we're going for one of those from Nuaire. Currently I need to work out the location and so on to avoid draughts.


I would agree with removing the shutters from the trickle vents.

I need to work out how to do that without breaking anything :-).

ML

[Interlaken]

Get tenant a de-humidifier - they work a treat and are cheap to run -only trouble is that they need emptying and tenant won't be there to do that I suppose. I usually supply one with my all electric properties (tenant signs for it) so there is no excuse for mould appearing.

[midlandslandlord]

Get tenant a de-humidifier - they work a treat and are cheap to run -only trouble is that they need emptying and tenant won't be there to do that I suppose. I usually supply one with my all electric properties (tenant signs for it) so there is no excuse for mould appearing.

I don't want something that depends on T, so a portable dehumidifier would not meet the need.

A plumbed in DH might do it, but they are pricey by the time you're done.

ML

[grouse]

Now I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole except for certain situations, such as one radiator for topup heat,
ML

We used them in 2 rooms on the top floor of some 3 story properties that only had conventional heating on ground and 1st floors.
Gas and electric bills combined seem comparable to properties with conventional GCH on 3 floors