High humidity and condensation

marshallka

dampdaveski wrote: »

Hi marsh,
the Dri 2000 has 6 speed settings so it's likely there will be a setting that you can use that will control the condensation AND not be high enough to make your house too cold.
you should be aware that it is quite normal when the weather is cold that your hallway will potentially feel cooler, A heater can be retro fitted to the Drimasters if it is too uncomfortable.
I have a Dri 2000 in my house and when it's mega cold I notice it BUT it doesn't affect the heating in any of the rooms.
hope this sets your minhd at rest:D
DD

Hi dampdaveski, I read that they actually make your house warmer???

Our hall has our bedrooms off it and is very small. Should this mean we will be freezing at nights?? In fact our ceiling vent will only be about 6 to 8 feet away from our bedroom and also my daughters?? I really do not want the house any cooler (even the hallway)... have we made a mistake here?

dampdaveski

Hi Marsh,
They do have heat recovery on them, however the times this will be most effective is spring / autumn. No positive input ventilation system from any manufacturer will act as a supplement to your heating system.
Saying that it will definately help your condensation problem and it won't turn your house into an ice box, but there is a good chance that AT TIMES your hallway will be a bit cooler, that's not to say it definately will, but theres a good chance.
I suppose it depends on how much you want your condensation,streaming windows and mouldy walls to disappear.
I'm fitting between 5-10 of these a week and I never have to take them out.
Hope this helps
DD

marshallka

Had my drimaster 2000 fitted today. It took about an hour and "looking wise" its not an eyesore. I have taken the dehumidifier into my bedroom now and have the wardrobe doors open full and got it running trying to dry out the wall in there (just to speed it along cause it is really wet in there). I shall do this for a week or so and then hopefully be able to see if the drimaster is actually working for us.

Thanks again dampdaveski.

2Sheds

We're had out drimaster running for a few months, now. The cold air was noticeable in the really cold weather, but we had set on 5 then 4 then 3 and have an open plan lounge to the stairs. Kept it turned onto 3 now and that is fine as the weather is better, also slight blocked off the side blowing down the stairs into the lounge.
Our bedrooms are even closer to it that yours and no one has complained. We still get some condensation in one of the bedrooms but nowhere near as bad. Let us know how you get on, we noticed a difference in a couple of days

Still trying to work why we are the only house out of the neighbours that get condensation without the drimaster.

Same build and layout, double glazed, carpets, loft insulated and yet neighbours with 2 adults in the back bedroom not a drop of condensation! While us with a child in the same sized bedroom, windows soaked every morning and walls moudly :mad:

marshallka

2Sheds wrote: »

We're had out drimaster running for a few months, now. The cold air was noticeable in the really cold weather, but we had set on 5 then 4 then 3 and have an open plan lounge to the stairs. Kept it turned onto 3 now and that is fine as the weather is better, also slight blocked off the side blowing down the stairs into the lounge.
Our bedrooms are even closer to it that yours and no one has complained. We still get some condensation in one of the bedrooms but nowhere near as bad. Let us know how you get on, we noticed a difference in a couple of days

Still trying to work why we are the only house out of the neighbours that get condensation without the drimaster.

Same build and layout, double glazed, carpets, loft insulated and yet neighbours with 2 adults in the back bedroom not a drop of condensation! While us with a child in the same sized bedroom, windows soaked every morning and walls moudly :mad:

Hi, glad yours is working and some of the condensation. I am quite annoyed really as on our contract that we signed with them they quoted they were fitting the drimaster 2000 BUT when I asked about the sensor and where it would go they said "it did not need one". Now looking at the fitting of the drimaster 2000 it DOES have a sensor so they have actually fitted the drimaster standard unit:mad: but charged us £750 quid for the pleasure. My hubby went mad with me for agreeing to have it fitted in the first place but he is forever working and I just wanted it done. I am soooo blummin annoyed. I am going to give them a ring next week and protest about it. The standard drimaster has no heat recovery to it from what I can see. I know that the temperature is not as cold as last week now but what is it going to be like when it hits really cold again.

Will let you know if we have any improvements. I cannot say for now cause I have had my wardrobe doors open with our dehumidifier running just to speed up the drying inside there which it has. I am going to leave it off now in the hope this thing actually works. I doubt now I will be able to tell until next year. I have had all my clothes and shoes out yesterday and cleaned it all with the 3 in 1 mould cleaner so just have to be patient. I do however want fitting what we were quoted as having fitted. They have actually "made" £500 for under 1 hours work.:mad:

Fire_Fox

Don't telephone, send a recorded delivery letter. This may get sorted on first contact, but it may escalate in which case you need a full paper trail.

marshallka

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Don't telephone, send a recorded delivery letter. This may get sorted on first contact, but it may escalate in which case you need a full paper trail.

Hi, I have telephoned them and they are coming to change next week. I told them I wanted the drimaster 2000 and that is what the paperwork quoted and he looked at his and said "no problem and we will exchange it". I know that there is a bit of wiring to do with the 2000 version and that is why we said it was OK for them to do it rather than my hubby (who is an electrician) but with this model that we have its only a matter of plugging it in.:eek: I told him about the sensor too and it having a boost option and he if'd and arred about it but hopefully should get it sorted.;) If not then I shall have to send a letter but as yet he was very polite and after all I was actually quoted this version and signed for this version.

I have as well being monitoring the Gas over the last few weeks and it seems that we have used more gas since having it installed. I don't know if that is the difference between the two systems? I just set my thermostat for the heating and have set it the same and its even been slightly warmer outside since having it installed TBH but used more gas. The vent is positioned about 5ft away from the sensor for the heating? Would that make a difference?

2Sheds

£750 and your husbands a sparks, should have paid him £250 to DIY it and saved £250. I'm a sparks and installed ours in 2 hours and most of that was cutting the hole, with an old hacksaw blade!!

The sensor on the 2000 model does nothing much, other than display an green (I think) LED every minute to show it's working and a red LED if it's not working or needs the filters replaced. It isn't a sensor for condensation.

Is your thermostat in the hallway near the drimaster, as that will effect the temperature.

As for heat recovery, if it's cold outside the loft will be cold and cold air will blow into the hallway.

abtmay

dampdaveski wrote: »

Hi iphone4,
The following is copied and pasted from a post on this forum, hope it helps

Hi Fender, everyone,
condensation is a major part of my business
I've answered this quesiotion on this forum a few times
Salt / Washing up liquid / Aunty Gerties socks etc
Salt is hygroscopic i.e. it has the ability to absorb moiture from the air, washing up liquid / shaving foam all they are doing is creating a 'slippery' surface to resist the condensation forming on the glass - None are treating the cause of the condensation
Dehumidifiers
These do work, however they do indeed cost 2-3 pence an hour to run some are a bit more some a bit less, they have to run pretty much all the time, are noisy etc and again they are reacting to a symptom of the condensation problem AFTER it has occurred
Extractor Fans
Helps to have these (obviously) however if you don't use them they are only a piece of plastic sat in the wall
Trickle Vents
These can help but controlling a condensation problem is all about getting the right amount of air changes inside your house / flat, think about how much air is in each room and then think how much air can pass through a trickle vent!
What Do I recommend
Check out the nuaire drimaster, envirovent loft unit, lofty condensation control units (PIV - positive input ventilation )
http://nuaire.co.uk/Product/Residential_Products
www.envirovent.com
Can't find the lofty manufacturers website, but a typical supplier is http://www.breathingspace.co.uk/more...=8&product=176
Expelair also have one of these units but envirovent make it for them!

I regularly use www.condensationproducts.co.uk and yes I have mentioned them before on here and yes I've told them and had a bit of discount for doing so, but i regularly get good service, prices etc so what the hey!

Check these peoples websites out there is a raft of information out there and it saves me typing it
I fit these units on a daily basis at the mo and have never taken one out
hope this helps
DD
Update - just realised this post is from 2007 wish i'd saved my fingers- hey ho!

Would the PIV helped if the door to my lounge/ kitchen (open plan) is closed? My kitchen is 85%~90% RH in the evenings and I'm thinking about either getting a dehumidifier or a PIV. In the evenings, only my kitchen/lounge has any heating on and the rads on the rest of the house are off.
A dehumidifier will work to eliminate any condensation as it is localised to any room it is situated, i.e my kitchen (wettest room). Whereas I have some doubts on the PIV. As stated, the PIV creates a positive pressure in the house and refreshes the air in the house by "forcing" air through any leakages in the house. However, if the doors in one of the rooms are closed, i.e kitchen, which is done to conserve the heating, will the PIV still work in minimising concesnation in the kitchen? My inital thoughts are that the positive preesure created will not affect my kitchen as it is "sealed", but I could be wrong. Any thoughts?

ukmaggie45

abtmay wrote: »

Would the PIV helped if the door to my lounge/ kitchen (open plan) is closed? My kitchen is 85%~90% RH in the evenings and I'm thinking about either getting a dehumidifier or a PIV. In the evenings, only my kitchen/lounge has any heating on and the rads on the rest of the house are off.

I don't quite understand what you are asking, but do you have a decent ventilation fan in your kitchen? Seems to me that's the cheapest and most cost effective thing to do initially.

I am not a professional of any kind, "just" a housewife. But it's nice to have a fan to vent the cooking smells (we love garlic in this house) and it takes the steam from cooking out as well. Suggest you look at that before going for other more expensive solutions. Make sure you get a fan that is powerful enough for the size of your kitchen.