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Condensation in cellar.

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With the recent high humidity I have found that my cellar ceiling is dripping with water. The cellar is noticably cooler than the house, & there is quite thick insulation board fixed to the underside of the suspended wooden floor of the room above c

 

The whole of the wooden floor was replaced 3 years ago due to rot caused by poor ventilation. Also a visqueen membrane & concrete floor in the cellar was installed to reduce moisture along with two additional air bricks. These normally keep the cellar dry, other than when we get weather like we are getting now. Basically, the cellar is cold & the water vapour in the air is condensing on the ceiling/insulation/gas & water pipes.

Aside from going down there to mop it up everyday - how can I sort it out??

Can I insulate the gas pipe, for instance? & will opening up the coal chute make a difference?

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With the recent high humidity I have found that my cellar ceiling is dripping with water. The cellar is noticably cooler than the house, & there is quite thick insulation board fixed to the underside of the suspended wooden floor of the room above c

 

The whole of the wooden floor was replaced 3 years ago due to rot caused by poor ventilation. Also a visqueen membrane & concrete floor in the cellar was installed to reduce moisture along with two additional air bricks. These normally keep the cellar dry, other than when we get weather like we are getting now. Basically, the cellar is cold & the water vapour in the air is condensing on the ceiling/insulation/gas & water pipes.

Aside from going down there to mop it up everyday - how can I sort it out??

Can I insulate the gas pipe, for instance? & will opening up the coal chute make a difference?

 

Good question to which I want to see the answer!

 

Could do with being in general discussions I would think for more viewers. If not for internet my instinct would be to put in a dehumidifier.

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I thought about a dehumidifier. I once put 6 of those crystal moisture traps in there. They made no difference due to the air bricks just drawing in more humid air! So surely a dehumidifier would just go the same way?

 

I'm gonna go & mop it all up in the morning & see how much water returns by night time. Aside from putting a heater down there to raise the temp I don't really know what to do!

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With the recent high humidity I have found that my cellar ceiling is dripping with water. The cellar is noticably cooler than the house, & there is quite thick insulation board fixed to the underside of the suspended wooden floor of the room above c

 

The whole of the wooden floor was replaced 3 years ago due to rot caused by poor ventilation. Also a visqueen membrane & concrete floor in the cellar was installed to reduce moisture along with two additional air bricks. These normally keep the cellar dry, other than when we get weather like we are getting now. Basically, the cellar is cold & the water vapour in the air is condensing on the ceiling/insulation/gas & water pipes.

Aside from going down there to mop it up everyday - how can I sort it out??

Can I insulate the gas pipe, for instance? & will opening up the coal chute make a difference?

 

My bold=

More than likely this is causing your problem,without proper ventilation moisture will form and the air bricks may not be providing enough ventilation.

Visqueen and concreting the floor stops the floor getting damp but any natural moisture from the ground is sometimes transferred to the walls.

A couple of my customers had similar problems when I was doing building work and the common theme was they had blocked the coal chute up and once opened up the moisture got ventilated and no moisture build up..

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I'll put a job advert on SF to get that done asap, hopefully it'll sort the problem.

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It's ventilation you need air bricks etc putting a fan down there may also help.

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Had two big air bricks put in when the flooring was replaced, but little wind outside there's not much air movement. I've been down there this morning mopping it & checking. The condensation is only on the (very cold) gas pipes & on the foil side of the insulation board, and some wooden batons nearest the gas pipes. It is most noticable nearest the blocked coal chute, so I'll get that sorted. Any recommendations for someone to do the work welcome! :)

 

On my day off I'll put a fan in there & leave the hatch open to try & get some air blowing through.

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