We have an airing cupboard where the right hand side is constructed against an external brick cavity wall (uninsulated). There is a 40W electric cupboard heater at the bottom of the cupboard, which ought to be enough to keep everything nicely warm. However, the air temperature doesn't rise above 23 degrees centigrade. I assume that a lot of the heat is being lost through the external wall.
So rather than buying a bigger heater and wasting more money heating outside walls, would it be feasible to insulate the side wall? If so, how? Would there be a risk of condensation/mould?
I'd be really grateful for any design suggestions - and anything to avoid!
Thanks!
Description:
The cupboard is 600mm deep by 1200 wide by 2000 high. There are three 44 x 44mm vertical timber battens screwed into the external wall, to which the front-to-back shelf supports are screwed - so I could get 40mm celotex into the gaps between the battens. But for anything deeper than that (eg incorporating a decent size air gap behind the insulation, or nailing sheeting over the battens) I would need to remove all the shelves and shorten the slats, which I would prefer to avoid.
Currently there is an air intake grille in the bottom kick strip, and room for air to escape via the front and top gaps around the 2x sliding doors. If required I could easily add a ventilation grille at the top of the left hand side wall, which is MDF, though not in the front (sliding doors to the ceiling) or back (internal brick wall).
We would like to be able to put damp clothes in the airing cupboard to dry if possible, but not if this would cause too much of a condensation/mould risk.
So rather than buying a bigger heater and wasting more money heating outside walls, would it be feasible to insulate the side wall? If so, how? Would there be a risk of condensation/mould?
I'd be really grateful for any design suggestions - and anything to avoid!
Thanks!
Description:
The cupboard is 600mm deep by 1200 wide by 2000 high. There are three 44 x 44mm vertical timber battens screwed into the external wall, to which the front-to-back shelf supports are screwed - so I could get 40mm celotex into the gaps between the battens. But for anything deeper than that (eg incorporating a decent size air gap behind the insulation, or nailing sheeting over the battens) I would need to remove all the shelves and shorten the slats, which I would prefer to avoid.
Currently there is an air intake grille in the bottom kick strip, and room for air to escape via the front and top gaps around the 2x sliding doors. If required I could easily add a ventilation grille at the top of the left hand side wall, which is MDF, though not in the front (sliding doors to the ceiling) or back (internal brick wall).
We would like to be able to put damp clothes in the airing cupboard to dry if possible, but not if this would cause too much of a condensation/mould risk.
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And what are the things that need to be kept warm in such a cupboard? 
