Drimaster Experiences

dampdaveski

nxdmsandkaskdjaqd wrote: »

dampdaveski

As this is your area of expertise, could you comment on if the eves of your loft are blocked with insulation, then this could cause condensation problems?

Post 4 above gives a few more details.

blocked eaves will not necessarily cause a condensation problem inside the house, though it CAN be a sole cause of the problem.
In any event you don't want your eaves to be blocked up as this is likeyl to cause a condensation problem inside the roof space.
IF you have a drimaster (or similar) unit fitted this will exaccerbate the condensation problems because the principles of how the system works is being restricted. i.e. a drimaster (or similar) unit draws outside air into the property via the loft space,

dampdaveski

2Sheds wrote: »

Hi DD
The house is a 3 level terrace townhouse built in 1964, cavity walls with apparently a 3" cavity, but under all the windows it's block and render.
There are soffit vents in the roof, which the insulation covered so I moved that back and you could see daylight and feel a draught afterwards.
The bedroom doors are closed at night and opened all day, there are not well fitted at all the opposite !
The drimaster 2000-S has been set to 4 continuously since I installed it (ex-sparks) about a year ago.

This picture below shows one of the windows one morning last February with the top opening left slighty ajar all night, the room is approx 14' x 11' with only 1 person sleeping in there!!




I was hoping it would work great and then I'd be making a few quid fitting it in the neighbours, but they don't seem get any condensation of note!

We've cooked dinner tonight hardly any steam in the kitchen as it was mainly microwaved and there no one having a shower until the morning. I'll still be getting the towel out tomorrow morning


Cheers 2Sheds

Hi 2sheds,
Is there a water tank in the loft with no lid on it?
is your trap hatch well sealed?
I'm assuming you don't have any problems in the kitchen?, if not this will be because the warmer moisture laden air will be moving out of the kitchen, cooling down and dumping the water it can no longer hold as a gas (water vapour) onto the windows etc
If security is not a problem try leaving the windows cracked open slightly in the worst bedroom, this will encourage the 'drier' air from the diffuser to enter the bedrooms where the problems are the worst


As Iancorn has suggested it might be an idea to stick bits of roofing lat between the overlaps with the roofing felt, this is a good way to increase ventilation without spending money on tile vents

Let me know how you get on
DD

2Sheds

dampdaveski wrote: »

Hi 2sheds,
Is there a water tank in the loft with no lid on it?
is your trap hatch well sealed?
I'm assuming you don't have any problems in the kitchen?, if not this will be because the warmer moisture laden air will be moving out of the kitchen, cooling down and dumping the water it can no longer hold as a gas (water vapour) onto the windows etc
If security is not a problem try leaving the windows cracked open slightly in the worst bedroom, this will encourage the 'drier' air from the diffuser to enter the bedrooms where the problems are the worst


As Iancorn has suggested it might be an idea to stick bits of roofing lat between the overlaps with the roofing felt, this is a good way to increase ventilation without spending money on tile vents

Let me know how you get on
DD

Hi DD
No water tank in the loft and it's not exactly sealed, although the 2000-s drimaster has a different diffuser to the standard one.
No problems in the kitchen, some condensation when cooking and that's it, plus it's 2 floors below the bedrooms.

We've tried leaving the windows slight opened and that does help, but not when it's too cold !

The ventilation is the loft is fine you can feel the breeze from the eves plus we're on the top of a hill.

Cheers 2Sheds

nxdmsandkaskdjaqd

2Sheds

Do you find that you only get condensation on the windows when it's very cold outside? For instance wednesday night the outside temperature went down to -5C and the windows were top to bottom condensation. Last night was 0C and therefore it was only a few inches of condensation.

Myself I have checked almost everthing and done almost everthing to solve the problem. The identical house next door does not have the problem, why is this so difficult!

Robert

nxdmsandkaskdjaqd

dampdaveski

Re my issues which we have discussed, and a follow on thought.

There are a few windows in the house that never get condensation on them.

* Back and front doors - Which open out onto a open front porch.

* 2nd Lounge double doors and windows, loo window and main lounge double doors that open onto a conservatory.

So these doors/windows never have condensation on them!

Does this mean anything or give you any clues?

Robert

2Sheds

nxdmsandkaskdjaqd wrote: »

2Sheds

Do you find that you only get condensation on the windows when it's very cold outside? For instance wednesday night the outside temperature went down to -5C and the windows were top to bottom condensation. Last night was 0C and therefore it was only a few inches of condensation.

Myself I have checked almost everthing and done almost everthing to solve the problem. The identical house next door does not have the problem, why is this so difficult!

Robert

We have exactly the same problem as you, along with the neighbours not getting any condensation.

Even with the Drimaster installed and running at 4, (it goes up to 6) we still get condensation mainly in one bedroom as shown in my photos.

Totally confusing as why the all the other houses of exactly the same build in our street don't get so much condenstion. In fact some of them never get any!!

Today I spent the morning moving the Drimaster from slight over the stairs and more onto the very small top floor landing. It is with 30cm of a wall, which Nuarie recommend against as it may cause unacceptable draughts. I've set it 3 and will report back in a few days.

nxdmsandkaskdjaqd

2Sheds wrote: »

Totally confusing as why the all the other houses of exactly the same build in our street don't get so much condenstion. In fact some of them never get any!!.

I share the same frustration as you, there must be logical explaination. Todate I have not found it!!

iamcornholio

nxdmsandkaskdjaqd wrote: »

I share the same frustration as you, there must be logical explaination. Todate I have not found it!!

The logical explanation is that condensation is caused by the occupants and not the property

marshallka

Right we had one fitted in Jan last year. Previous few months we had the soffits and eaves redone (replaced and NOT cladded) with really good vents in. We have pointed up slight problems with the wall and also we leave our bedroom window locked open. We had no joy with this from Jan but must admit I think our problem was we needed to have it working from autumn onwards and not so late on after the bad winter we had. SO far we have had NO condensation this year at all in any rooms. I know they say that the hall is cooler (which I have to admit it is a tad cooler) but still better to walk around a dry house (you cannot smell the damp anymore) and I have not adjusted the heating any more TBH so all in all so far (will post back come another few months time) we feel its actually working. We have not had the dehumidifier running at all this year for the first year in 15 years.

Hope this helps.

nxdmsandkaskdjaqd

marshallka wrote: »

Right we had one fitted in Jan last year. Previous few months we had the soffits and eaves redone (replaced and NOT cladded) with really good vents in. We have pointed up slight problems with the wall and also we leave our bedroom window locked open. We had no joy with this from Jan but must admit I think our problem was we needed to have it working from autumn onwards and not so late on after the bad winter we had. SO far we have had NO condensation this year at all in any rooms. I know they say that the hall is cooler (which I have to admit it is a tad cooler) but still better to walk around a dry house (you cannot smell the damp anymore) and I have not adjusted the heating any more TBH so all in all so far (will post back come another few months time) we feel its actually working. We have not had the dehumidifier running at all this year for the first year in 15 years.

Hope this helps.

Do you have any idea as to how much extra this is costing you in terms of heating? The fact that unit blows cold are into the warm house.