French doors and cold bridging.. advice needed

essex_grl

This sounds like a much bigger job than we have anticipated being that we have the same issue with the French doors in the kitchen. They are boarded all around. Neither hubby or I have the skills to fit boarding, skirting or to make plaster look any good.

What kind of tradesman would I need for this?

Would cavity closers help at all? I don't think so but that is what the window company has mentioned.

essex_grl

Yes the doors do open outwards and would continue to do so. We have asked for them to clarifty whether the quote is for same position or recessed as we had them look at the problem but they have not really given us any answers. More quotes may need to be on the cards as we ideally want someone that can do it all.

stuart45

You really need a firm to do the lot. Cavity closers are insulated, but the older timber framed houses had a piece of 2x2 fixed to the studwork of the timber frame at the reveals and the frames were fixed to that, and this closed the cavity. It would be a bit of work getting that out of the cavity to fit a closer, but if they want to do it rather than use insulated plasterboard it's up to them.

essex_grl

Thank you for your advice. It is very appreciated. I will ask them what they would do to rectify the issues and at what extra cost but I am going to get a few new quotes for the whole lot.

Lorian

Interesting it's only started this year. If it's cold bridging what's changed? Less heat use?
Are the patio and drain outside recent? Where's the DPC level?
What's the humidity level in the rooms?
What's the black tape for?

essex_grl

Lorian said:

Interesting it's only started this year. If it's cold bridging what's changed? Less heat use?
Are the patio and drain outside recent? Where's the DPC level?
What's the humidity level in the rooms?
What's the black tape for?

Heating is on the same amount. The patio has been there about 3 years and if I pull the carpet up in those corners the floor is dry.

Not 100% sure on dpc but it is above the patio as that was discussed when it’s was in planning but I think it’s at the top of the black paint line.

Humidity is obviously high in the kitchen where we cook but still have extractor and open the doors when boiling and it the lounge that is worse. That is visibily wet the kitchen only through touch.

The kitchen seems to be hollow around the door so assume maybe more airflow and nothing touching the external brick skin? Also kitchen paint is not matt so wipeable.

The lounge is used all day but it’s a 4 bed house so the room is not small, always open and we ventilate it.. 2 person household so I don’t think humidity is the cause alone as we only get this on the 2 doors that are flush with outside. No issues elsewhere.

The black tape was us.. those side panels are pieces of upvc that were siliconed on and after 20 years had come loose so we redid silicone, put them back on and siliconed down the edges incase this was penetrating damp from rain… done when first noticed a few weeks back. Tape just to help them stay put while silicone dried.

stuart45

If any penetrating damp has got to the inner reveal it will make that area colder, which in turn will encourage condensation.

essex_grl

stuart45 said:

If any penetrating damp has got to the inner reveal it will make that area colder, which in turn will encourage condensation.

That's definitely possible. The old silicone was hard and cracked and there was a lot of it, about an inch thick under those stuck on flimsy edge pieces.. but we don't have those on the kitchen doors.. which have the same problem but only noticable by touch.

They are 20 year old windows and doors we just can't justify replacing the windows right now after we had to re-roof the house this year £££

I am going to change tack and try to get builders in who are Fensa registered and see if that gets me more results than window fitters.