Ventilating an understair Cupboard

Odster

I've recently moved into a new flat and one of the comments from our surveyor was that we should install venitlation to the cupboard under the stairs to prevent the build up of condensation.

Is there anyway to calculate how big the vent should be or where it should go? I'm toying between either cutting a hole in the bottom of the door, or through the wall at the highest possible location (so as not to get blocked when things are stacked inside the cupboard).

thanks

tony6403

Never seen condensation (caused by warm air meeting a cold surface) in a cupboard but I suppose it could happen. I would do nothing immediately and check each week to see if there is any problem . If there is no evidence in the winter time then you are unlikely to get trouble with this at all.

loracan1

Did they say exactly where it needed ventilation? The understairs in my house has a vent actually inside the cupboard to the gap under the bottom part of the stairs, the bit that's blocked up.

ormus

ive never seen a stair cupboard that was perfectly sealed.
mine has more leaks than an italian cruise liner.

missprice

I have an understairs cupboard and in 15 years in this house have never had condensation in it.
can guarantee there is no ventilation in there
maybe wait and see if condensation develops before putting holes in:)

pinkteapot

Agree with the others. Our understairs cupboard is off the kitchen and is a big pantry. The kitchen gets very cold in winter and very hot in summer (it's south-facing) but the pantry cupboard stays at a fairly even temperature and has never had any sign of condensation in it at all.

I don't think I've ever seen an understairs cupboard with ventilation, apart from where it's been turned into a toilet and had an extractor fan installed.

27col

ormus wrote: »

ive never seen a stair cupboard that was perfectly sealed.
mine has more leaks than an italian cruise liner.

So that would be a 48m hole with a large rock stuck in it eh!

oz0707

Ormus' is missing the rock!