Ventilation into void

[Zebra]

Hi

My house has been extended on the front with a single storey extension which is south facing. The house backs onto the churchyard and has no windows or doors or openings of any kind on the back. Even when it is a nice day outside and I have all the doors open, it is chilly and damp indoors. It's like going into a cave. The damp may improve with time, it's not that long since I lowered external ground levels etc, and the house may still be drying. However, there is no through draught. Might it be a good idea to introduce some ventilation into the back wall?
I don't want to put an airbrick straight through to outside, since this would introduce a draught. But there could be the possibility of inserting an airbrick which vents from the living space into a tiny unused roof void at ground floor level on the back of the chimney. This roof void is about half a cubic metre, and has open eaves towards the bottom of it. It is surrounded on the four sides by the living room, the chimney, the sideway/woodshed and the churchyard.
It's complicated - are you still with me?
If I were to insert an airbrick from the living room into the roof void, and another out into the sideway, and the roof void has open eaves already, would that improve the damp clamminess in the living room? Or would I just be causing the rafters of this roof void to rot?
Any ponderings gratefully received.

 

[Feltwell]

I suspect your house is still drying out. You've lowered the ground levels, but the recent "drought" won't have been helping your place to dry out in too much of a hurry!

I presume your living room has an open fireplace? That will be pulling air through. By the time your place has dried out and you've done your external insulation, I think your problem will have righted itself.

All of which is totally opinion based with no science behind it :wink:

Have you got a dehumidifier? Might be worth getting a small one to help speed things along. It's a shame you're not closer, I'd lend you mine, I rarely use it.

 

[Onetap]

But there could be the possibility of inserting an airbrick which vents from the living space into a tiny unused roof void at ground floor level on the back of the chimney. This roof void is about half a cubic metre, and has open eaves towards the bottom of it. It is surrounded on the four sides by the living room, the chimney, the sideway/woodshed and the churchyard.

Not a good plan. The warm moist air from the living space will cause condensation in the unheated roof space when it cools. You should duct the extracted air to outside.

You can get damp problems in lofts just through having a hole in a ceiling through which convection will move a warm air current into the loft.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Would it be feasible to have a small window built into the back Zebra?

 

[Zebra]

I presume your living room has an open fireplace? That will be pulling air through. By the time your place has dried out and you've done your external insulation, I think your problem will have righted itself.

No, a lined chimney, register plate and woodburner. It helps, but only when it's lit!

Would it be feasible to have a small window built into the back Zebra?

No, apparently someone applied for planning permission to do this before I bought it and there were objections. I could try again I suppose, but it's public ground on the other side.

Hope it will right itself. The house was designed this way after all, but then there weren't the single storey extensions on the front so the front door was into the living room.

 

[JoceAndChris]

I think I might be inclined to apply again, just in case no objections are raised.

But I wouldn't judge the dampness of your house after the wettest April on record, see how it is in October.

 

[Zebra]

Thanks Onetap for your straighforward reply - I won't do that then! Thnaks for the offer of the dehumidifier FW, if I'm over your way I'll give you a shout!

 

[Zebra]

I wouldn't judge the dampness of your house after the wettest April on record, see how it is in October.

You're right. Do you know what I think I'll do about it, for now? Nothing!

 

[worms]

I wouldn't judge the dampness of your house after the wettest April on record, see how it is in October.

You're right. Do you know what I think I'll do about it, for now? Nothing!

...and light the woodburner!

 

[Flyfisher]

Would it be feasible to have a small window built into the back Zebra?

No, apparently someone applied for planning permission to do this before I bought it and there were objections. I could try again I suppose, but it's public ground on the other side.

That was my first thought as well, plus I didn't realise planning permission would be required for a window. Isn't the 'public ground' a cemetery? Hardly a privacy issue I would have thought, you could even use obscured glass if really necessary.

I wonder if anyone would actually notice if you installed a small window?

 

[castiron]

Sounds to me that you could do with some real advice from someone who has seen the problem and layout.
How about calling in a few trades, architects and builders etc. for a quote for work.
I'm sure you'll be able to pick up quite a number of things from them and maybe reach a solution.

 

[Zebra]

Ah but the beauty of forums like this is being able to figure these things out without calling in the professionals! With the help of all of you on here, I've tackled much more tricky things on my own! :wink:

 

[agbagb]

Have you tried leaving the vents or even door open on the wood burner. You might get a passive stack effect where slightly warmer air in the chimney pulls air through. I know we can good a draught this way.

 

[Zebra]

Ooh yes that's a good idea!

 

[Roger H]

Unless your building is either Listed or in a conservation area, insertion of a new window, even abutting the neighbouring property, is permitted development. The window shouldn't open out over the other parties land though.

 

[Zebra]

I'm in a conservation area. Or at least the house is. I can go in and out of it....

 

[LadyArowana]

I'm in a conservation area. Or at least the house is. I can go in and out of it....

Be careful about leaving the conservation area, outside the park there be predators and poachers :lol:

 

[MdB]

Be careful about leaving the conservation area, outside the park there be predators and poachers :lol:

Yeah - always play safe and get a lift from a mate...

 

[Flyfisher]

Checks and stripes really don't go well together.

 

[Zebra]

:lol: :lol: :lol: