condensation resulting in mould growth in rental property

pd001

Doozergirl wrote: »

No extractors at all? You really can't blame the tenants, especially not a family!

There is reason why building regulations demand extraction in those rooms. Perhaps not when this house was built, but for a very long time now. This is the key problem.

We have taken onboard your comments that the lack of ventilation in the bathroom and kitchen is "the key problem"
Those issues will be rectified, the bathroom being first in line

Doozergirl

richardc1983 wrote: »

Disagree with your, your speaking from personal preference. A tenant is not likely to appreciate a lovely nice open fire and with houses being sealed up like boxes and double glazing etc this isn't necessarily going to resolve the issue entirely. It will help but not much.

What are you talking about? Is there any danger of people reading a full thread before picking a fight?

Read everything I've said, right from the beginning and then come back and talk to me about my sole solution of opening up a fireplace and only being able to talk from personal preference.

pd001

richardc1983 wrote: »

Disagree with your, your speaking from personal preference. A tenant is not likely to appreciate a lovely nice open fire and with houses being sealed up like boxes and double glazing etc this isn't necessarily going to resolve the issue entirely. It will help but not much.

As I have mentioned, at this time opening up the fireplace is well down the list of things that my daughter is prepared to do.
Knowing her like I do, there isn't a cat in hells chance that she would ever open it up.

But, it looks like Doozergirl may have hit the nail on the head regarding lack of extraction both in the bathroom and in the kitchen.
She appears to be vastly more experienced in this area than both me or my daughter and, in addition, these are easy problems to fix. According to her, lack of ventilation in these areas is the key to the condensation issues in the upstairs bedrooms.

pd001

blackshirtuk wrote: »

I would check your insurance as mine does not allow/will not pay a claim if there are portable gas heaters in a tenanted property

Thanks for this, I will ask her to do just that tomorrow.
If her insurance company does not allow the use of portable gas heaters then so be it. The tenant will receive a very polite phone call followed up by an equally polite letter.
I will update you when i know more

richardc1983

Doozergirl wrote: »

Thank you for your opinion, Richard. As a property professional I have a great amount of experience of most things building related.

I criticised them for being physically ugly. I gave several possible solutions before calling PIV ugly and expensive and at no time did I suggest leaving it and have water running down the walls. In fact, I go so far as to say that by doing what I do for a living and asking the correct questions, we've found that the problem is that this house has no mechanical extraction to speak of and would most likely benefit best from having timed mechanical extraction in the appropriate areas, like most of those without condensation problems do.

Diagnose first. PIV is really a last attempt, IMO. Operating an old house sensitively should be the priority.

I work in Facilities Management and HVAC so I also have vast experience in these areas. Ventilation is key, even with mechanical extract you will find that tennants will close trickle vents due to the cold air they produce. PIV is good as it increases the ventilation with slightly tempered air so as not to feel too cold to the occupier. Its also at a central point in the house so can mix with already warmer air that has risen.

I wouldnt really call a PIV supply air vent ugly, its very discreet on the ceiling. The workings and fan unit though which are located in the loft however are not seen as they are out of sight.

I agree though its best to get a decent extractor fan in first of all to force removal of the stale damp air, one with trickle ventilation would be even better.

richardc1983

richardc1983 wrote: »

Not plugging another manufacturer product but again I cant not share my experiences (positive ones) with others when I spent so much time looking up resolutions.

Dont go for a cheap extractor fan they are rubbish and do not work. We had one and it was on a timer and whether it was on for 20mins or 50 mins after showering the walls were still running with condensation and we had black mould growing. We since have changed the fan to a http://www.nuaire.co.uk/products/catalogue/residential/extract-fans/cyfan/ which is a centrifugal fan. It also runs in trickle mode if you want it to, it moves that much air that there is no steam in the bathroom and just a little condensation on mirrors afterwards which clears within 5 mins. Its set to run for 10 mins after showering but as we have the drimaster we dont use it on trickle as there is constant air movement out of the extractor fan due to the positive pressure ventilation effect.

You could also go for one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/MANROSE-MF100T-IN-LINE-EXTRACTOR-MIXEDFLOW/dp/B005F41YOM/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1420156267&sr=8-6&keywords=extractor+fan which would be installed in the ceiling above the bathroom and extract air from the bathroom via a small vent in the ceiling to the outside via ducting. These have similar air flow rates to the CYFAN linked above. The CYFAN may be easier to fit/setup for you though?

Just remember to get a decent extractor fan with good air flow rates and the trickle ventilation. I agree with doozergirl... mechanical extraction will therefore cause forced ventilation as you create negative pressure. The extractor fans could be left on trickle mode so that constantly removing some air from the property.

pd001

richardc1983 wrote: »

Just remember to get a decent extractor fan with good air flow rates and the trickle ventilation. I agree with doozergirl... mechanical extraction will therefore cause forced ventilation as you create negative pressure. The extractor fans could be left on trickle mode so that constantly removing some air from the property.

Thanks, I get what you are saying. I will look into the fans that you have linked to over this weekend when I have more time.
A good extractor fan will create a vacuum thus sucking out all the damp air, which in itself increases ventilation.
The bathroom will be done first and then the kitchen.

richardc1983

pd001 wrote: »

Thanks, I get what you are saying. I will look into the fans that you have linked to over this weekend when I have more time.
A good extractor fan will create a vacuum thus sucking out all the damp air, which in itself increases ventilation.
The bathroom will be done first and then the kitchen.

Would it be possible to get the kitchen cooker hood vented to the outside? Sometimes this is a good option but not always possible due to location of outside wall and the cooker hood itself.

pd001

richardc1983 wrote: »

Would it be possible to get the kitchen cooker hood vented to the outside? Sometimes this is a good option but not always possible due to location of outside wall and the cooker hood itself.

Not possible i m afraid
Its on the party wall, and to move the cooker would require a total shift around of everything in the kitchen.
Gas pipes, water pipes, all cupboards etc etc.
Sorry but much easier to have a fan fitted.

richardc1983

pd001 wrote: »

Not possible i m afraid
Its on the party wall, and to move the cooker would require a total shift around of everything in the kitchen.
Gas pipes, water pipes, all cupboards etc etc.
Sorry but much easier to have a fan fitted.

Most cooker hoods vent vertically so you can duct along the top of the cupboards and then out through the wall. If its easier to do a fan though then thats fair enough