Will winter damp dry out?

[yamin]

Hi again, as I've already mentioned we re managing for economy without any central heating. The house is partially warmed downstairs by the woodburner (cosy!) but upstairs is bloody cold! No problem, we can manage, just dipping in to ask if I should be doing something to prevent damp? I keep getting the harbingers of doom saying we need some kind of heat to prevent damp. We really do not want to use any heating - I also get the idea that its OK for a breathable period property to get a bit of cold dampness (nothing dripping or visible, just that old damp feeling) - as they were designed to withstand this and dry out in the spring - is that true or am I in cloud cuckoo land? We really want to manage without the 'on the safe side' hour or so a day........

 

[andrew gayton]

My main living space is heated by a woodburner, whilst my sleeping space is also heated by the woodburner........... via a trapdoor in the floor. Simply leave it open to heat the space above. I stole the idea from a Swedish House.

 

[yamin]

Great idea! though not for us as
1. Bathroom is above woodburner - house is higgledy piggledy and bedroom as distant as possible to be in a modest sized cottage, above cold room not heated below!
2. 5 year old twins. Hmmm, that could be fun!!!!

But sounds great for your house - what a simple idea!

 

[Nemesis]

M and S does a good line in thermals.

 

[Nemesis]

Actually, we have a house that rambles, and we keep the heating on low in some rooms (rad thermostats). It's not really adequate to keep it really warm in winter as the rads are a bit small. Having it on at full blast is too expensive!

We also have a stove which is currently on downstairs, using mostly wood we have salvaged from various places, it helps to circulate some warmth but at the moment it is very cold even with that.


However, I did find when we had only the stove on when we had no central heating the place got a damp feeling - if you can run the heating a little it does help.

M and S thermals though - good things!

 

[yamin]

As I say, I'm no southern softie ( :lol: ) - we're fine with the cold - I just want to make sure the HOUSE will be! (and m & s do much more interesting things than thermals! food for example!) And we're backs to the wall here, so no heating AT ALL would be best in these rooms. Besides which, its all or nothing as storage heaters

 

[Nemesis]

Save on the food and buy the thermals.

Trust me, blue tits are fine on the bird feeders outside, but...

 

[yamin]

ROFLMAO!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Nemesis]

Other methods of keeping warm:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7755315.stm

 

[Penners]

I'm not sure that thermal underwear is necessarily conducive to the more intimate forms of shared bodily warmth. But maybe other men can see something in a long-john-clad woman that I've missed.

I don't believe that the fabric of your building will suffer greatly from winter cold. But your decorations may (Decorations? Is that distant laughter I hear from the yamin household?). And you might have a bit of a problem with mould in a constantly damp and wet bathroom, in particular. The main problem with cold is that cold air won't hold as much water vapour as warm air. So the air will be less able to remove dampness from inside the building.

All I can suggest is that you monitor the situation. Just keep an eye on things, and if you feel that any deterioration is taking place, perhaps allow a warm air heater to blow some warm air around upstairs for a while each day.

 

[Nemesis]

Oh, I dunno Penners.
It comes in black.

 

[Lime]

I'm not getting involved in the long-john thing.

But I'd be concerned about the warm moist air from the lived-in part of the house traveling to the colder parts.
That's when you are going to get condensation.
Far better that the doors of unheated rooms are kept closed and a window slightly open IMO.

 

[Penners]

It comes in black.

Madam, I suggest that you've spent too much time consorting with the coalman.

 

[Nemesis]

Indeed - but he does own a traction engine which served in the Boer War.

 

[Penners]

Is that what they call a "babe magnet"?

 

[yamin]

Honestly, I go out for just a few hours (friend with one of those lovely modern HEATED boxes - I just LOVE sitting in someone elses hermetically sealed but lovely warm and tidy house, much easier to feel smug about my own, when I'm not in it!!!!!!) - just a few hours, and I come back to the period property equivalent of a dirty hotline!! I mean, I'm as glad as the next (wo)man, that thermals aren't an obstruction to passion , and the key to the coalmans tractor causes a frisson of excitement in the Nemesis household, but please, get a grip! I haven't been this shocked since we talked getting all steamed up in my spare room!!!!!! (Did wonders for the woodchip though, I still maintain!)

Like idea of shutting doors on cold rooms and opening windows a bit. I do that with our bedroom in morning anyway - clearly it appeals to the sadist in me! And thanks for all suggestions - also think the odd hour with a fan heater if things get a bit uncomfortable damp wise might be fine. So far so good though, and no probs YET!!!!

p.s. Penners - not too bothered about the decor - except the polystyrene coving and picture rails, but they'll be OK, right??

 

[yamin]

Other methods of keeping warm:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7755315.stm

Bahahaha - clearly not a PPUK couple in the picture - if they were they'd have one of these on surely?

 

[Nemesis]

N0 - PPUK posters would have these:

 

[yamin]

Slightly concerned about the shading on the Borat-type suit in the middle!! But absolutely, that does it for me!!!! :wink:

 

[Flyfisher]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned electric blankets. We have no heating at all upstairs (as yet) but an electric blanket and two over-sized quilts works wonders. It's quite luxurious getting into a warm bed in a freezing bedroom - and no need for long-johns at all.

Mind you, it's a b*gg*r getting out of bed in the morning!